Getting Your ZZZs

1. Getting Your ZZZs CommonHealth’s Guide to Healthy Sleep

2. Tossing & Turning At Night? • 20 million adults in US suffer insomnia • Everyone has difficulty falling or staying asleep from time to time • Daily tasks or getting to work can be a chore • Lead to health problems, especially with your heart

3. Sleep & Your Heart • Poor sleep could increase risk for heart disease. • When is it a problem? • What can you do to get help? • How can you get to sleep?

4. What Is Sleep? • Our bodies have a powerful internal drive to sleep • Studies suggest that sleep is just as important for survival as food • As important as eating, drinking & breathing • Humans have an overwhelming need to sleep • Critical to our heart health & well-being

5. What Does Sleep Do For You? • Gives your heart a break • Sleep reduces heart rate and blood pressure by about 10% • Boosts learning & memory • Lack of sleep leads to faulty decision making • Can cause problems with learning and memory retention • Boosts immune system • Sleep deprivation decreases ability to fight off infections

6. What Does Sleep Do For You? • Helps with weight management • Those who sleep 5-6 hours per night are more likely to be obese than those who sleep 7-8 • Other health concerns • Research volunteers who slept less than 7 hours per night were more likely to have diabetes • Lack of sleep reduces women’s fertility as well

7. How Much Sleep? • NIH recommends 7-8 hours for adults • Less sleep can make us perform inadequately • Avoid sleep debt • No problems with sleepiness during day • Necessary to avoid an increased risk for cardiovascular disease

8. Sleep Debt • Occurs when we don't get adequate sleep • Can be difficult to "pay back" if it becomes too big • The resulting sleep deprivation has been linked to health problems • High blood pressure • Obesity • Negative mood and behavior • Decreased productivity • Safety issues in the home and on the job, and on the road

9. Could You Have A Sleep Disorder? DO YOU: • Take more than 30 minutes to fall asleep at night? • Wake up frequently and have trouble falling back asleep again? • Regularly need to use stimulants to get through the day? • Awaken too early in the morning? If two or more of these behaviors sound like you, you may have a sleep disorder.

10. More Signs Of A Sleep Disorder • Not feeling well rested despite 7-8 hours of sleep at night • Feeling sleepy during the day and fall asleep within 5 minutes if you have the chance to nap • Your bed partner claims you snore loudly, snort, gasp, or make choking sounds while sleeping

11. Snoring: No Joking Matter • Half of all adults snore and half of all snorers snore loudly and frequently • Frequent loud snoring can be a sign of sleep apnea • Daytime sleepiness • What can help stop snoring? • Tennis ball in back of pajamas • Change position – not on back • Body pillow • Breathe right strips

12. Sleep Apnea • Nighttime breathing disorder affects more than15 million Americans • Men and women of all ages • Even some children • Breathing stops briefly during sleep when airway partially or completely closes • The amount of oxygen in the blood drops • Your brain wakes you enough to tighten the airway muscles so you can breathe again

13. Sleep Disorders • Insomnia • Trouble falling asleep & staying asleep • Narcolepsy • Brain's inability to regulate sleep-wake cycles normally • Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) • Neurological disorder • Irresistible urge to move one's body to stop uncomfortable or odd sensations

14. Sleep & Your Heart • Blood pressure normally lowers during sleep • Essential in maintaining heart health • Reduces plaque build-up in the arteries • Inadequate sleep prevents the nightly dip in blood pressure • Lack of sleep raises stress hormone levels • Causes inflammation in blood vessels • Leads to clogged arteries • Inflammation, blocked blood vessels results in a heart attack

15. Special Concerns - Shift Work Sleeping following night shift: • Experiment with different sleep times to see what works for you. One sleep period is typically better than two shorter sleep periods. • Limit noise and light. • Try to sleep same number of hours as on day shift.

16. Shift Work Sleeping when switching back to days: • Get most of sleep on night following last night shift; daytime sleep should be just enough for recovery purposes. • Maintain same pre-sleep pattern of activities, no matter when you sleep. • Get into the sunlight early in the day.

17. Sleep Aids • Not a magic cure • Talk with your Doctor and Pharmacist • Over the counter meds & side effects • Diphenhydramine (Benadryl, Unisom sleep) • Sedating antihistamine • Side effects include daytime drowsiness, dry mouth, dizziness and memory problems • Many medications that use PM at the end of their brand name (like Tylenol PM) contain this antihistamine

18. More on Sleep Aids • Doxylamine (Unisom Sleep Tabs) • Sedating antihistamine • Side effects: daytime drowsiness, dry mouth, dizziness and memory problems • Melatonin • Hormone helps control your natural sleep-wake cycle • May help treat jet lag or reduce falling asleep time • Side effects: daytime sleepiness, dizziness and headaches • Less common side effects: abdominal discomfort, mild anxiety, irritability, confusion and depression • Valerian • May reduce time to fall asleep and promote better sleep overall • Active ingredient isn't clear and potency can vary • Side effects: headache, abdominal discomfort, uneasiness, and heart disturbances

19. To Nap or Not to Nap? • Occasional, short naps may make up for sleep missed the previous night • Does not substitute a good night’s sleep • No napping after 3PM • Try not to nap more than 1 hour • Some evidence showed naps longer than 20 minutes made waking fully difficult • Some people may want to avoid napping if it is not beneficial to their overall sleep quality

20. What is Good Sleep Hygiene? • Regular sleep schedule • Get up and go to bed around the same time each day • Keep your same schedule on weekends • Invest in a comfortable mattress and pillows • You spend 1/3 of your life in bed • Create a comfortable sleep environment • Block out noise • Use darkening shades or curtains • Bedroom temperature slightly cooler • Wear comfortable sleeping clothes

21. Sleep Hygiene • If possible, avoid medications that disrupt or delay sleep • Some heart, asthma & blood pressure meds can disrupt sleep • Read the labels: some over-the-counter cough, cold or allergy meds may cause sleep problems • Take a hot bath before bed • Decreases body temperature • Helps feel drowsy • Routine promotes relaxation and slowing down

22. Good Sleep Hygiene = Better Sleep • Stop using smart phones, cell phones, laptops, or computers 2 hours before bed • Screen too stimulating • Set boundaries about being contacted/available • New research indicates cell phone usage decreases melatonin • Move your alarm clock • Light from clock can disrupt sleep • Eliminate constantly checking • Turn it away from bed – or move to hallway • Decrease bright lights in evening • Avoid bright lights if up in middle of night

23. Plan Ahead • Exercise during the day • Flush out stress hormones • Brisk walk (during your lunch break) promotes restful sleep at night • Not too close to bedtime – too stimulating • Decrease caffeine • Switch to caffeine free early afternoon • Skip the “night cap” • Alcohol may help with falling asleep • Causes frequent waking or waking too early • Avoid nicotine at bedtime • It is a stimulant, causing difficulty falling asleep

24. Save Your Worries For Another Day….. • Write down your worries • Wakefulness caused by worries, concerns, or the “To Do” list • Write it down • Establish a plan of action – for the next day • May be better able to sleep • If you can’t fall asleep, get up • If it has been over 30 minutes • Get up and go to another room • Read or engage in some other restful activity

25. Your Best Night’s Sleep….. • Keep your consistent sleep routine • Same things every time before going to bed • Routine helps your body relax • Signals to your body sleep is near • Keep your bedroom for sleep and intimacy only • No catching up on work, emails, etc. • In the morning – see the light • Open shades or curtains – let in bright sunlight • Turn on lights • Daylight regulates sleep patterns

26. Questions? Thank you for attending! Visit the CommonHealth website at www.commonhealth.virginia.gov for more great sleep resources