What are the commonalities between the 1989 Exxon Vadez oil spillage, the Challenger disaster on the spaceship and the Chernobyl nuclear incident in Ukraine? According to the Australian National Sleep Research Project sleep deprivation is a contributor to each disaster.
“Getting a good night’s sleep is as important as feeding yourself or putting gas in the car. You absolutely cannot function without it. Start addressing the stress and anxiety in your life by first considering the quality of sleep you get,”Edward Grandi, executive Director of the American Sleep Apnea Association.
Recent research has revealed that sleep deprivation can have a tenacious grip on 17 health conditions. Insufficient sleep can lead to hostility, anxiety, depression, weight loss, obesity, and increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
These tips from ASAA will help you avoid the problems of sleep deprivation.
* Be wary of late-night eating habits. Overeating or feeling hungry before bed will make your body spend more energy on digestion and discomfort. Your sleep quality can be negatively affected by nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol.
* Find a sleep schedule and stick to it. A sleep schedule helps you to regulate your body’s sleep-wake cycles, which can lead to better sleep. Shift workers who work from 9 to 5 are more likely to have shift work disorder (SWD) because they tend to sleep inconsistently. SWD, a circadian rhythm sleep disorder, is characterised by excessive drowsiness and insomnia.
* Avoid using TV or electronics to fall asleep. Research has shown that watching TV or using a laptop before bed can disrupt sleep, particularly if it is left on at night. Artificial light can disrupt REM cycles and disturb sleep by disrupting sleep.
* Don’t be afraid to talk to a doctor. Everybody has restless nights. However, if this is the case, it may be due to underlying causes. There are 84 types of sleep disorders, including SWD and insomnia.
You may have sleep apnea if you are suffering from constant snoring. This is an involuntary stop in breathing that can occur up to 300x per night. Find more tips to get quality sleep at www.sleepapnea.org.
