Sleep. A daily dose of repair, restoration, and growth. Rhythmic like breathing, the beating of our heart, and even our digestion, the cycle of waking and sleeping marks the beginning and ending of our day. This daily rhythm, known as the circadian rhythm, is a 24-hour “body clock” that coordinates our brain, organ systems, and metabolism to shift together between activity and rest. Regular quality sleep is one of the greatest influences for good physical and mental health at any stage of life. Many features of modern life, from electronics to hectic schedules, ruffle our minds and disrupt the daily rhythm of sleep.
The high frequency of use of electronic devices and artificial light at night disrupt the hormone signals that prepare the brain and body for sleep. When artificial light enters our eyes in the evening, it lowers the amount of melatonin produced by the Pineal Gland in the brain, which can make it harder to fall asleep. Melatonin, a chemical messenger naturally produced in the brain in response to darkness, has many beneficial roles in the body. Once this hormone is produced it quickly travels to all tissues in the body via the bloodstream. Melatonin has been shown to reduce inflammation, act as an antioxidant, and protect the cells that line the bloodstream providing a mechanism for its role in repair during sleep. While doom scrolling may be entertaining for the moment, in the long term, lower melatonin levels and a corresponding lack of sleep can have serious health impacts. People who regularly get six hours or less of sleep have increased risk of chronic diseases:
- Coronary heart disease by 35%
- Diabetes by 25%
- Stroke by 22%
- Obesity by 21%
In 2020, the CDC reported that 31% of Montanans get fewer than seven hours of sleep in a 24-hour period. According to the National Institute of Health, sleep deprivation is a significant public health issue that can result in several quality-of-life issues in children and adults. In adults, sleep deprivation can manifest as problems with learning, focusing, managing emotions, and coping with change. In children, this can manifest as overactive behavior, anger, impulsivity, mood-swings, or lack of motivation and depression. For both adults and children, sleep deprivation can result in reduced work productivity and lower academic success.
The 24-hour cyclic nature of sleep functions best when our brain and body ebb and flow between activity and rest at the same time, seven days a week. Sleep hygiene is the practice of ‘hacking’ this natural cycle to prime the brain and body for sleep by controlling the sleeping environment, physical activity, and diet through a daily routine.
Simple sleep hygiene steps to take:
Environment
- Be consistent, even on weekends and days off, for waking times and when you go to bed.
- Dim the lights 1-2 hours before bedtime.
- Establish a relaxing bedtime routine that does not involve looking at screens.
- Use an alarm clock and keep phones in a separate room.
- Only use the bed for sleep and relaxation by avoiding watching movies, doing work, or looking at a phone.
Physical activity
- Avoid rigorous exercise before bed.
- Avoid thinking about things that make you feel stressed or anxious before bedtime.
Diet
- Avoid large meals and lots of fluids.
- Avoid stimulants like nicotine and caffeine at least 8 hours before bedtime.
- Avoid alcohol.
If you take these steps for several weeks and still have trouble sleeping, keeping a sleep diary could help reveal if there is an underlying sleep disorder or further changes that could be made for sleep habits. The Teton County Extension Office has a MontGuide on sleep written by Montana State University Extension Specialist Dr. Michelle Grocke, that provides more detailed information on sleep strategies and includes a sleep diary.
MontGuide: Sleep: Its Health Benefits, How much you need, and strategies to get more
With the first day of school in Teton County rapidly approaching, this is a great time to evaluate your family’s sleep routine. Even if you do not have school age children in your home, taking stock of your daily sleep routine can be one step towards better physical and mental health.
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