By Tom Gonzalez, PhD, LPC, LCPC
Do your sleeping habits make a difference in your life? Most of us are aware that there are four stages of sleep – the first three are known as non-REM sleep followed by the last stage – stage four, or REM sleep. REM sleep occurs toward the end of the night as our body becomes actively paralyzed and limp. REM sleep is the stage during which we dream. What else do we know – and what should we know about sleep itself?
Sleep is important to us not only for what it does for each of us as individuals, but also because of the risks involved in a loss of sleep. Risk factors include: lost days at work, decreased productivity, memory problems, poor decisions, depression, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, car accidents and a shorter life span. Sleep apnea, a disorder identified by symptoms such as loud snoring, restless sleep, early morning awakenings and severe daytime sleepiness affects four percent of women and eight percent of men.
If you have trouble sleeping and are concerned that you may have insomnia, the following three questions may provide an answer.
- Does it take you at least 30 minutes to fall asleep or are you awake at least 30 minutes of the night at least 3 nights per week?
- Do you have enough sleep opportunity?
- Do you have daytime deficits that might be related to a lack of sleep?
If you answered yes to each of these questions, you have insomnia.
Clearly, healthy sleep is a necessity for all but many of us struggle with it. Yet each us can strive toward healthy sleep by first recognizing the importance of good sleep hygiene and by doing a few smart things such as keeping a regular schedule, exercising regularly, turning off the TV in the bedroom, getting mobile devices away from the bed, not going to bed hungry, keeping the bedroom cool, dark and comfortable, not going to bed angry or worried or upset, getting rid of the clock, having a regular bedroom routine, giving oneself time to wind down at night and allowing plenty of time to sleep.
Additional tips for improving your sleeping habits include relaxation training, diaphragmatic breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, autogenic training, mindfulness meditation and cognitive approaches such as thought challenging, thought stopping, weighing evidence and cognitive behavioral therapy. Visit the National Sleep Foundation website for more information.
If you suspect you have a sleep disorder, contact your physician to have a sleep study arranged at one of the following BJC sleep centers:
Getting healthy sleep is a choice that can become a habit!