Better Sleep Better Health

Suicide is the third leading cause of death amongst Americans ages 15 to 24. This figure is made all the more heartrending when one considers that many suicides are preventable with intervention and proper treatment of depression. New information about sleep patterns may help prevent more senseless losses.

The study, reported in the journal SLEEP, found that teenagers who slept on average five hours or less a night were an alarming 71% more likely to be depressed than their peers who slept longer. They were also 48% more likely to think about committing suicide than those who got more sleep. These results are alarming considering that many teenagers are increasingly getting less sleep than they need. The AASM recommends that teens get at least 9 hours of sleep per night. However, many teen’s sleep schedules shift to a more nocturnal pattern of wakefulness. They may tend to feel tired later in the night and want to sleep in longer in the morning than adults and younger children. Unfortunately, school schedules and other responsibilities cut this sleep time short, leading to a repeated lack of rest. Setting an earlier bedtime is very important. Teens who went to bed at midnight or later on a regular basis were 24% more likely to feel depressed than those who had a bedtime of 10:00.

What can parents do to help their teens? The most important thing is always to talk to your kids. An open dialog is very important not only to understand what frame of mind they’re in, but also to offer support and stability. Also encourage your teens to get a good night’s sleep and enforce rules about no electronic devices or TV’s in the bedroom. Instill earlier bedtimes and make sure that they are as rested as possible. Try to remember what being a teenager was like and work to be a stable and safe harbor for them during this tumultuous time.
For more information about depression and suicide prevention call 1-800-SUICIDE.

Look on the side of a Rockstar, Red Bull, or 5 Hour Energy and you’ll usually find a warning for these products to be avoided by pregnant women or those sensitive to caffeine. These drinks, as well as the ubiquitous Starbucks coffee, can be consumed responsibly by adults. But should children be consuming caffeine?

A recent study published in the Journal Of Pediatrics reported that 75% of children ages 5 to 12 consume caffeine daily. Most of that consumption came in the form of soda, although the substance is also found in other sources such as chocolate. The study found that children aged 5 to 7 years were on average consuming 52mg of caffeine per day and those aged 8 to 12 years were consuming 109mg. To put that in perspective, the average Red Bull contains 80mg of caffeine and a normal cup of coffee has around 120mg.

It is important to remember that caffeine is a drug and can have serious side effects. The lead researcher on the study, Dr William Warzak, advises, “Parents should be aware of the potentially negative influence of caffeine on a child’s sleep quality and daily functioning.” Caffeine is a stimulant and leads to hyperactivity, making it harder for children to focus in school and at home. It also is a diuretic, which can increase the likelihood of bed-wetting when consumed close to bedtime. The effects of caffeine can greatly disrupt children’s sleep cycles and increase nocturnal arousals. Disrupted and shortened sleep have been proven to be detrimental to childhood development, leading to increased obesity, hyperactivity, and decreased school performance.

Experts consider it unnecessary for children to consume caffeine and instead recommend milk, juices, or water to quench thirst. The next time your child wants something to drink, encourage lifetime of healthy habits by avoiding soda.

The new year is upon us and it’s time to make that list of resolutions, most of which we never keep. But for 2011, improving your health and quality of life can be easily accomplished by addressing two common problems people have with their sleep:

Kick the bad habits: Poor Sleep Hygiene is a leading reason for sleep deprivation and Insomnia, but it is avoidable. Simple steps to improve Sleep Hygiene include eliminating the television from the bedroom, avoiding TV and computer use within 2 hours of bedtime, and avoiding caffeine within 8-10 hours of bedtime. Also don’t overdo the evening  alcohol intake and if you do find yourself unable to sleep, go to a separate dimly lit room and engage in a calming activity such as reading until you feel tired again. Taking these simple actions can help your mind associate the bedroom with sleep and can break the cycle of Insomnia.

Stop rattling the windows: Snoring is not only annoying for others around you, it is a major symptom of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Sleep Apnea can be a dangerous condition leading to increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, and high blood pressure. Treatments are available for sleep apnea but diagnosis requires an overnight sleep study at an AASM accredited sleep center. If you have been told you snore, schedule an appointment to speak to a sleep specialist. It’s covered by insurance and treatment of apnea has been proven to help lower blood pressure, improve cognition, and decrease daytime fatigue.

Have a safe and happy New Year!

As 2010 gets put to bed, it is time to look at the stories about sleep that were most talked about this year:

• More Children Are Medicated for Insomnia -  Illustrating a disturbing trend in medicine, many children are given prescription sleep aids for Insomnia.

• US Military Finds Bright Light Can Improve Alertness, Reduce Post Traumatic Stress - Another link between exposure to light and our circadian rhythms.

• Tired Teenagers At Risk For Depression – Teens’ schedules are causing increased rates of depression in today’s youth.

• Shift Work Hurts Productivity – Important news for businesses with employees on late shifts.

• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Linked to Low Levels of Serotonin – New research sheds light on the possible causes of SIDS, a scourge that continues to puzzle scientists.

• Sleep Suffers During Wartime Deployment – The stress of war is affecting our troop’s sleep and peace of mind, making it harder to adjust upon their return home.

• Insomnia And Sleep Duration Linked to Early Death – Startling news on the connection between lack of sleep and mortality.

• Percy Harvin’s Trouble With Sleep Apnea – The Viking’s receiver’s continued woes with his sleep disorder.

• Biggest Loser Contestant on CPAP – Contestant Sherry Johnston talks about sleep apnea and continuous positive airway pressure.

• Obstructive Sleep Apnea Linked to Heart Disease – A recent study finds that the common sleep disorder is even more serious than previously thought.

A good diet and a regular exercise regimen have been heralded for years as the best way to lose weight and stay healthy. Regular moderate exercise may also help people to combat the most common sleep disorder: Insomnia.

Many people suffer from Insomnia, the inability to fall or stay asleep. There can be multiple causes for the condition including stress, bad sleep hygiene, hormone imbalance, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. When faced with repeated instances of insomnia, one should contact a sleep specialist for evaluation. Appropriate testing may rule out a physical cause of the problem. If there is no evidence of an underlying sleep disorder, doctors may recommend several countermeasures to help alleviate the condition. One that has great value is the introduction of a moderate exercise program.

Researchers recently investigated different exercises and determined that a light to moderate intensity daily workout worked best to eliminate insomnia. Examples of the low to moderate exercises found to be beneficial to sleep include 50 minutes light jogging on a treadmill, yoga, and resistance band training. They found that higher intensity workouts close to bedtime, while beneficial physically, often actually disrupt people’s sleep patterns. Instead, it is recommended that exercise should occur 4-8 hours before bedtime to avoid sleep disruption.

If you have chronic primary insomnia, regular exercise may help to get you into a normal sleep cycle. As with any change in physical activity, you should consult with your physician before beginning a new exercise regimen. For more information or to seek help for your insomnia problems, contact Oregon Sleep Associates.

Pregnancy can be a very difficult time for women to get the rest they need. Changes in hormones, pain, and positional difficulties can make it hard to get comfortable. The National Sleep Foundation offers some good tips for women who are expecting:

1. In the third trimester, sleep on your left side to allow for the best blood flow to the fetus and to your uterus and kidneys. Avoid lying flat on your back for a long period of time.

2. Drink lots of fluids during the day, but cut down before bedtime.

3. To prevent heartburn, do not eat large amounts of spicy, acidic (such as tomato products), or fried foods. If heartburn is a problem, sleep with your head elevated on pillows.

4. Exercise regularly to help you stay healthy, improve your circulation, and reduce leg cramps.

5. Try frequent bland snacks (like crackers) throughout the day. This helps avoid nausea by keeping your stomach full.

6. Special “pregnancy” pillows and mattresses may help you sleep better. Or use regular pillows to support your body.

7. Naps may help. The NSF poll found that 51% of pregnant or recently pregnant women reported at least one weekday nap; 60% reported at least one weekend nap.

8. Learn to relax with relaxation and breathing techniques, which can also help when the contractions begin. A warm bath or shower before bed can be helpful.

9. Talk to your doctor if you develop medical problems and/or insomnia persists.

It’s a common scenario for millions of Americans: Get up early, work a nine-to-five job, stay up late, and make up for lost time on the weekends. But this cycle takes its toll on people’s bodies and minds, and eventually it will catch up to you.

A study released in the August 2010 issue of SLEEP details the extent to which repetitive sleep deprivation can affect cognitive performance. Participants were assigned a reduced sleep schedule for five consecutive nights then randomly assigned different lengths of recovery sleep to simulate weekend rest after a workweek. The subjects were then tested  on their cognition, motor skills, and sleepiness.

The researchers found that those who have their sleep time reduced on a regular basis, such as when someone has to rise early for a job, accrue significant sleep debt. Sleep debt is the result of sleep deprivation in which an individual does not experience a feeling of being rested or refreshed. The drive for rest becomes increasingly strong and affects peoples’ daytime functioning. The subjects who had longer recovery periods scored slightly higher on tests but their performance was still impaired. The evidence suggests that most people cannot sleep long enough on the weekends to compensate for lack of sleep throughout the week. Worse still, trying to sleep in or make up for lost sleep time on weekends often disrupts a person’s normal sleep cycle, further complicating matters when Monday arrives.

If you find yourself trying to compensate for a lack of sleep by catching up on the weekends, it may be a sign that you need to improve your sleep hygiene. Try to cut out caffeine and alcohol before bed, eliminate distractions such as television from the bedroom, and try going to bed earlier and at the same time each night. You may not be able to change your work schedule, but adopting a better sleep schedule will make it that much easier to deal with. For more information on sleep hygiene, visit www.oregonsleepassociates.com.

Cell phones have become ubiquitous in modern life. Once a rare luxury only available to the rich, now they are so commonplace that even children have them in elementary school. They’re found in our pockets, purses, cars, and workplaces. Unfortunately they’re also found one place they shouldn’t be: the bedroom.

A Pew Research survey recently reported that over two-thirds of Americans now sleep with their cell phones within reach. This may not be a serious problem if people only used them for emergency calls or as alarm clocks, but with the advent of smartphones the usage of cell phones has changed. They are now more commonly used to check email, watch videos, text, and surf the web. These practices, while useful during the daytime, disrupt and delay sleep for many people. In addition to the bad habits cell phones encourage in the bedroom, their screens can actually alter your brain chemistry to disrupt your sleep cycle and cause insomnia. Many phones have bright screens that emit blue and green light. These wavelengths can alter the natural human light reactive circadian process by preventing the body from secreting melatonin, a sleep inducing neurotransmitter. Many sleep specialists who have encouraged people not to watch TV before bedtime for the same reason now extend the warning to avoid cell phones and computer screens around bedtime. If you’re an avid texter, internet surfer, or compulsive email checker try turning of your phone an hour before bed. Don’t worry, it will still be there the next morning and you may just get a better night’s sleep.

Anyone who has worked an overnight shift knows how difficult it is to adjust back to a normal schedule. You feel like a sleep deprived zombie, never able to fully fit in during the waking hours. New evidence suggests that the toll taken may also be passed along to businesses in the form of lost productivity.

The research, as reported by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, found that the key for maximum productivity is to schedule shift start times that allow the worker to sleep right before reporting for duty.  The study used a mathematical formula to see the effects of 24 start times, each varying by one-hour increments. The hypothetical work schedule lasted six days. Each shift was nine hours and started at the same time each day. The findings suggest that the best shift start times begin in the late morning or early afternoon, whereas shifts that begin between 8 PM and 12 AM were found to be the most limiting to both sleep and work performance.

The lead investigator on the study, Angela Bowen, suggests that government labor regulations may need be changed to take into account different shift start times. “Shifts of equal duration differ in how fatiguing they are depending on the time of day when they are scheduled,” said Bowen. “The same limitation on the number of duty hours may be either overly restrictive if during the day or too liberal if during the night.”

If you currently are an overnight shift worker, the AASM suggests taking steps to maximize your sleep time. Wear sunglasses on the way home and minimize light and sound exposure in your bedroom. Try to sleep immediately after your shift in the late morning until the early evening. On days off, do not switch back completely to a normal schedule. Instead, try a compromise by going to sleep about 3 AM.

If you would like more information on sleep and shift work, check out sleepeducation.com or contact the sleep specialists at  Oregon Sleep Associates.

Every year, especially during the summer months, millions of people take trips all across the globe. After meticulous planning , packing, and preparation they board planes towards their destinations, hoping for an enjoyable vacation away.But unfortunately, many of these travelers will experience something unexpected that can disrupt and even ruin their time off:  Jet Lag

Travelers experience “Jet Lag” because of a disruption of their Circadian Rhythm. The Circadian Rhythm is the 24 hour cycle that helps regulate the body’s sleep and wake times. This cycle uses light to essentially “set its clock”. As a person travels between time zones, their body has trouble adapting to the different environment. For example, if you are normally in the Pacific time zone and travel east to New York, your bedtime is now 3 hours ahead of when you would normally go to sleep. Conversely, if you travel west 3 hours, you may find it very hard to stay up since you are staying awake 3 hours past your bedtime.

Jet lag can make people tired and angry, sometimes ruining what is supposed to be a good vacation. Fortunately, there are some things one can do to combat the effects of Jet Lag. Here are some tips to help you deal with this problem:

• Select a flight that arrives in the early evening and go to bed at 10 PM local time.

• Anticipate the time change by getting up and going to bed at times closer to your destination’s  time zone for several days before your trip.

• Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and heavy exercise around bedtime.

• Bring earplugs and blindfolds to help dampen noise and light during sleep.

• Get outdoors and into the sunlight. Daylight will help regulate your biological clock.