Article: Sleep Your Way to Better Health
May 16 2024
Sleep Your Way to Better Health
Midwest Medical Center shares educational resources during May / Mental Health Awareness Month
GUEST COLUMNIST
Stephanie Cocagne, LCPC
Midwest Medical Center
www.MMCGalena.org/Cocagne
We’ve all been there, awake and staring at the clock… We think to ourselves “If I fall asleep now, I’ll get two hours before I have to wake up.” Or “Ugh!! I can’t function at work with such little sleep.”
Chronic poor sleep harms our physical and mental health. In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, Midwest Medical Center hosted a free educational program about sleep. Danielle Seegmiller, Family Nurse Practitioner, shared that poor sleep: 1. Increases the risk of obesity, 2. Increases risk of high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol which can lead to heart attacks and strokes, 3. Decreases our immune system, 4. Decreases our quality of life, 5. Increases our risk of automobile accidents and occupational errors, and 6. Elevates fasting glucose which can lead to diabetes. Sleep plays a vital role in our daily functioning.
Sleep quality is preferred over sleep quantity according to the Sleep Foundation (sleepfoundation.org). There are three primary factors to improve your sleep quality. 1. Consistent wake/sleep time, 2. Increased sleep drive (aka “sleep tank”) and 3. Comfortable body and calm mind. Here are some strategies for you to experiment with:
Consistent Wake/Sleep Time
• Track your sleep, when do you naturally wake/get sleepy? A sleep diary can help with this. (https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/resources/sleep-diary)
• Get into bed only when you feel tired enough to fall asleep.
• Wake up at roughly the same time each day.
Increase Your Sleep Tank
• Get out of bed when you wake. Snoozing and sleeping deplete the tank.
• Engage in gentle activity when you wake up. Stretch, water the plants, take the dog out. Exposure to bright light (especially sunlight) during this time will help fill your tank too.
• Daytime naps must be shorter than 20 minutes. Set a timer if you nap.
• Limit sleep disruptors including excess caffeine, alcohol, and sugar. Do not eat less than 2 hours before bed. Put your phone and television “to bed” somewhere out of sight and out of reach.
• Increase daily activities that engage your mind and your body. Learn something new. Walk to the mailbox. Get a pedometer and gradually increase the number of steps you take each day. Crossword puzzles and word searches can stimulate your mind and fill the tank.
Comfortable Body & Calm Mind
• Sleep environment: is your room quiet, cool, and dark? Do you have enough bedding? Is your pillow comfortable?
• Keep a notepad by the bed to write down your thoughts, knowing they will be there tomorrow.
• Identify the thoughts you have about sleep and ask yourself, “How true is this?” “Is there a step I can take toward this problem?” If so, write it down.
• Relax your body with yoga. Yoga Nidra is a form of guided meditation, also known as the sleep of the yogi, that promotes complete rest and relaxation. Check out Midwest Medical Center’s Fitness Schedule for upcoming classes taught by Becky Mayne. www.MMCGalena.org/FitnessClasses
• When all else fails, have a predetermined “comfy space”, somewhere in your home to go when you can’t sleep. If you are awake for more than 15 minutes in bed, go to your comfy space. Have a cup of herbal tea, read soothing poetry, or listen to calming music. When you feel sleepy again, get back into bed and try again.
The Sleep Foundation suggests Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia or CBT-I to help improve sleep quality. Described as “a short, structured, and evidence-based approach for combating the frustrating symptoms of insomnia.” CBT-I focuses on exploring the connection between the way we think, the things we do, and how we sleep.
CBT-I starts with information gathering. This can be done on a paper log or with an app such as those recommended by the Sleep Foundation (https://www.sleepfoundation.org/best-sleep-apps). Most smart watches and devices can also track sleep quantity and quality. Once you know some basic information about your sleep habits, CBT-I helps you identify areas for sleep improvement. Another CBT tool is identification of the thoughts that interfere with sleep. Those might be thoughts about the day (“Did I really say that to my boss?!”), worries about upcoming events (“What if I forget to …”) and even worries about sleep itself (“will tonight be the night I finally get some sleep?” These thoughts are not always true and certainly not helpful when trying to fall asleep. In addition, they increase physical stress which interferes with the relaxed state needed for sleep.
A counselor trained in CBT-I will help you learn to adjust your daily routine and limit sleep interfering thoughts and activities. Talk to your physician, your trainer, or your counselor about sleeping your way to better health.
Stephanie Cocagne is a licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC), working in therapy services at Midwest Medical Center in Galena, Illinois. To learn more about services offered by Stephanie or the Midwest Medical Center Behavioral Health Team, visit MidwestMedicalCenter.org.
Please make note of this resource: If you or someone you know needs support now, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Available for individuals of all ages.