09 May 16 Tips for a Restful Night

As we steel hours from our sleep to do “more productive tasks,” we assume that those lost hours of sleep will have no detrimental effect.  Truth – Sleep deprivation has numerous repercussions.

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I learned 3 lessons about sleep deprivation my Freshman year in college with one experience.

Bright idea # 1 – At the end of my first semester in college, I decided that it would be smart to cram for my final exams.  I stayed awake for 3 days straight.  My brain was so scrambled by the end of the 3 days I could barely put two sentences together.

Later I sat down with my Biology professor to review my grades.  He said that I had done well during the year but was puzzled about my final exam.  “What happened,” he asked.  I did not have the heart to tell him how stupid I had been.  My Biology exam was the last exam of my 3 days without sleep.  Lesson #1 – Long term memories do not develop well when sleep deprived.

Bright idea # 2 – Why not drive home with no sleep!   This was no 15 minute drive.  I attended Baylor University in Waco, Tx and decided to drive home to Northern Mississippi.  I have done many stupid things in my life.  Driving home that day was one of the most stupid.  Studies now show that sleep deprivation is as detrimental as driving drunk.  Lesson #2 –  Sleep deprivation impairs motor skills.

Final Bright idea #3 – I knew there was no way that I was going to make it home in one piece.  My solution was NoDoz.  For those that don’t know, NoDoz contains 200 mg of caffeine in each tablet.  Each cup of coffee has 200 mg of coffee.  If coffee has caffeine in it then it must be safe, right.

I don’t remember how much I took, but I believe the box was empty when arrived home.  Finally when I did get in bed, my heart was pounding and I could not fall to sleep for several more hours.   Lesson #3 – Caffeine stays in the blood stream a long time.  Consume caffeine only in small doses and avoid using 4-6 hours before going to bed.

It is amazing that I survived my youth!

Sleep deprivation can have many other consequences.  Try these steps to help get a good nights rest.

16 Tips For a Restful Night

1. Avoid caffeinated beverages after lunch.

2. Keep your room in the ideal temperature range.  62-68 degrees seems ideal.

3. Keep a regular sleep schedule.

4. Use bedroom only for sleep and sex.  Remove the TV from the bedroom.  Don’t do work in the bedroom.

5. Exercise regularly for at least 30 minutes most days of the week, preferably 4 to 5 hours before bedtime.

6. Maintain a healthy body weight.

7. Avoid excess alcohol use.  Avoid alcohol near bedtime, no “night cap.”  Alcohol may help you get to sleep, but it significantly diminishes the quality of your sleep.

8. Dress comfortably.

9. Limit stress.  Consider meditation.  Deal with your worries before bedtime.

10. Hide the clock, if you are a clock watcher.

11. Avoid prolonged use of light-emitting screens such as TV, laptops, smartphones, and iPads before bedtime.

12. If can’t sleep get out of bed after 5-10 minutes.

13. Avoid naps during the day.  Each of us requires an ideal number of hours of sleep per 24 hours. Napping decreases the number of hours you will sleep at night.

14. Sleep only as much as you need to feel rested and then get out of bed.  The ideal number of hours each individual needs is different.  The number of hours you need will also change with each season of life.

15. Avoid smoking, especially in the evening.

16. Do not go to bed hungry.  Contrary to popular belief, a small snack will not make you gain weight. Weight gain is caused by consuming too many calories in a 24 hour period, not snacking before bedtime.

If you try all of these and still have a problem sleeping, seek the attention of a physician who is familiar with treating insomnia.  Many diseases and medications can cause insomnia.  Those may need to be addressed first.  Often times a combination of treatments is needed, including medication.

For a more in-depth discussion of insomnia see my post  http://www.nuvitalityhealth.com/two-common-myths…o-treat-insomnia/ ‎

Here’s to the Journey!