How to Sleep Better, and Why It Matters

How to Sleep Better, and Why It Matters

From Cleveland Clinic

As someone who got up at 4 a.m. today, I found this information from Cleveland Clinic especially interesting. All adults, regardless of age, need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. But what can you do if you’re falling short, and why should you care? Here’s what sleep experts say.
-Marie Elium

We all know the struggle after getting a bad night’s sleep, but there are steps you can take the following day to help you bounce back.

“Generally, we recommend you go to sleep the next night at your regular bedtime. We don’t necessarily want to promote long naps during the day because that’s going to erode sleep quality the following night,” says Nancy Foldvary, DO, a sleep specialist for Cleveland Clinic.

The goal is to fall asleep and wake up at the same time every day. Sticking to your regular bedtime, no matter what, will help get you back to a regular schedule. If you can’t resist a nap after a night of tossing and turning, Dr. Foldvary recommends keeping it to 20 minutes, so you’ll still be tired when it’s time to hit the hay.

Aside from that, caffeine in moderation, exercise and getting some sunshine can help tide you over. Above all, Dr. Foldvary says to avoid oversleeping to catch up on missed sleep because you can’t truly recover from chronic sleep loss–which can carry serious consequences.

“We now know that chronic insufficient sleep leads to weight gain, obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes. It can also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, cardiac arrhythmias, hypertension and more,” she says.

If you continue struggling to get good sleep, take a close look at your environment and make sure it’s not something like your mattress keeping you up at night. Good sleep also helps maintain a healthy immune system, something that’s important during cold and flu season.

Dr. Foldvary says a regular sleep-wake cycle promotes an optimal immune system.

“If you have symptoms related to your sleep, like snoring or excessive daytime sleepiness for no clear reason, talk to your doctor because you may need a sleep study or be evaluated by a sleep expert,” she says. “In some cases, Dr. Foldvary said an undiagnosed sleep disorder could be the issue, and addressing it is key to maintaining overall health.

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