Sleep and Your Health

Presented By:
Jacquelyn Matoian, M.S.
Health Promotion Coordinator
March 23, 2009

Sleep Basics
Basic necessity of life
Impacts our overall quality of life
Helps us wake up feeling refreshed and alert
Affects how we look, feel, and perform each day
Contributes to a healthy immune system
Balances our appetite by regulating ghrelin
and leptin

Play a role in our feelings of hunger and fullness

How much sleep do you get

every night?

Sleep Needs and the Life Cycle

Stage in Life
Infants: 0-2 months
2-12 months
Toddlers: 12-18 months
18 months 3 years
Children: 3-5 years
5-12 years
Adolescents:

Amount of Sleep
10.5-18.5 hours
14-15 hours
13-15 hours
12-14 hours
11-13 hours
9-11 hours
8.5-9.5 hours

Adults/Older Persons: 7-9 hours on average

Sleep Statistics
The most recent sleep poll (Sleep in America),
conducted by the National Sleep Foundation in
2009 reported

20% of us are sleeping less than six hours a night

The percentage of us getting the recommended 8 hours
every night decreased

38% in 2001
28% in 2009

What prevents you from

getting a good nights sleep?

Sleep Stealers
Stress

School or work pressures

Family/marriage problem
Serious illness
Death in the family
Lifestyle Stressors
Caffeine or alcohol close to bedtime
Exercising close to bedtime
An irregular morning and nighttime schedule
Shift Work
Forces you to sleep when your biological clock wants you
awake

Sleep Stealers cont.

Jet Lag

Changing time zones

Environmental Interferences
Noise
Room temperature
Partners sleep habits
Mattress and pillow comfort
Physical Factors
Painful conditions
Sleep apnea (recognized by snoring and interrupted
breathing, causing awakenings)
Medications

How do you feel when you

dont get enough sleep?

Lack of Sleep and Your Health

Higher blood pressure
Decreased immunity
Increased risk for

abdominal obesity
Reduces production of
Leptin (stop eating)
Increases production of
ghrelin (keep eating)

Lack of Sleep and Your Health

Increases insulin

resistance and blood

glucose levels
Increased risk for
diabetes

Difficulty exercising
Risk for injury

Approximately 100,000
vehicle crashes are sleeprelated each year

Lack of Sleep and Your Job

Poor performance at work
Difficulty getting along with
others

Bad mood
Irritability

Decreased ability to handle

stressors
Difficulty concentrating on and
completing tasks
Difficulty making decisions

Stages of Sleep
NREM makes up 75% of sleep
Composed of 4 stages

REM makes up 25% of sleep

REM and NREM typically alternate every 90 minutes

http://www.sleepfoundation.org/site/c.huIXKjM0IxF/b.2419187/k.7254/Let_Sleep_Work_for_You.htm

Sleep Cycle

http://www.sleephealth.com.au/The%20Sleep%20Cycle.htm

NREM Stage 1
As we first start to fall asleep, we enter NREM.
Stage 1:
Light sleep begins
Individual can be easily aroused
Eye and muscle activity slow
Brain activity decreases by 50%
Sudden muscle contractions

NREM Stage 2
Stage 2:
Onset of sleep
Disengage from environment
Heart rate and breathing become regular
Body temperature decreases
Eye movement and muscle activity stop
Small bursts of brain activity begins
Called sleep spindles

NREM Stages 3 & 4

Stages 3 & 4
Deepest sleep
Restores body
Blood pressure and breathing rate decrease
Energy regained
Hormones released for growth and
development

REM

25% of our sleep

90 minutes after falling asleep
Duration of REM increases throughout the night
REM provides energy to the brain and body
Dreams occur
Eyes dart back and forth
Body becomes immobile and relaxed
Muscles shut down
Heart rate and breathing become irregular
Important to daytime performance
May contribute to memory consolidation

What affects your sleep?

What affects Sleep?

Nutrition
Sleep Environment
Exercise
Napping

Sleep and Nutrition

Snooze Foods
Amino acid called tryptophan
Cause sleepiness
Carbohydrates make tryptophan more accessible to the
brain
A carbohydrate heavy meal can make you drowsy
Proteins are building blocks of tryptophan
Best bedtime snack is one that contains both a protein
and a carbohydrate
Cereal with milk
Bread and peanut butter
Cheese and crackers

Caffeine
Blocks the action of hormones in the brain that make us

feel sleepy
A large dose of caffeine will stimulate our systems
We feel a crashing affect as it wears off

Drink smaller amounts of caffeine throughout the day

instead of one large dose

Do not drink caffeine in the late afternoon or evening

Energy Drinks
Made with mostly caffeine, essential amino

acids, and tons of sugar

Give you a jolt of energy in the short term
A few hours later, you have a need for a
big nap
The best way to help yourself stay awake
during the day is to get an adequate
nights sleep

Alcohol
Most people think alcohol is a good way to

relax and fall asleep after a long hard day

Alcohol may help you fall asleep
Interrupts your sleep during the night
Prevents falling into the deeper stages of
sleep
Causes you to wake up still feeling tired

Gastrointestinal Reflux (GERD)

Can cause sleep disruptions
Can be affected by what you eat
In order to reduce symptoms of GERD and help you
sleep better
Avoid fats, onions, and spicy foods
Avoid chocolate
Eat your largest meal at lunchtime instead of dinner
Finish eating at least 2-3 hours before bedtime
Sleep with your head and shoulders elevated
Sleep on your left side
Avoid alcohol
Dont smoke

Sleep Environment
Noise

Create a quiet sleep environment

Use earplugs or a fan to block out unwanted sounds

Temperature

Room should be on the cooler side

(60-65 degrees Fahrenheit)

Light

The darker the better

Block out unwanted light
Curtains
Drapes
Eye mask

Sleep Environment cont.

Sleep Surface

Replace mattress every 7-10 years

Replace pillows every year
If you share your bed, make sure its large enough for
two

TVs and Computers

Act as sleep stealing agents

Keep them out of the bedroom

Partner Troubles
According to the National Sleep Foundations
2005 Sleep in America poll

67% reported their partner snores

27% reported their intimate relationship was affected
because they were too sleepy
38% said their partners bedtime issues affected their
overall relationship

Talk to your partner about the problem

Encourage them to see a doctor or sleep therapist

Wear ear plugs
Keep the lines of communication open

Cuddly Pets
Although you may want to
share your bed with a pet,
chances are your four
legged friend is
interrupting your sleep

Make your pet a comfortable

bed of its own

Exercise and Sleep

Makes you more alert
Speeds up your metabolism
Energizes you for the day
Can help you sleep better
Improves your exercise performance
2008 Better Sleep Month survey found:

Respondents getting 9 or more hours of sleep each

night were more likely to engage in higher intensity
exercise
Including biking, running, and weight lifting

Finish exercising 2-3 hours before bed

The Truth About Napping

Conflicting theories on napping
Many cultures take a nap every day
Cannot make up for a poor night of sleep
Can help improve:

Mood
Alertness
Performance

3 Types of Napping
Planned

Taking a nap before you are actual tired

In preparation for something later in the day

Emergency

Taking a nap when you are suddenly very tired

Cannot continue what you are doing
(i.e. driving, operating heavy, dangerous equipment)

Habitual

Taking a nap at the same time each day

Benefits of Napping
A nap lasting 10-30 minutes
Enhances performance
Reduces mistakes or accidents
Increases alertness

Period following the nap

Can extend into few hours afterward

Provides an escape from your busy

day
Prescribed for those who suffer
from narcolepsy

Napping Negatives
Isnt for everyone
More than a 10-20 minute
nap

Groggy and disoriented

Too long or too late in the

day can adversely affect
your nighttime sleep

Especially if you already have

trouble sleeping

Common Sleep Myth 1

Snoring is common among
men and harmless

Associated with sleep apnea

Pauses in breathing
Wake up gasping for breath
Reduces oxygen levels
Causes strain on the heart
Increases the risk for cardiovascular
disease

Sleep apnea can be treated

Those who snore loudly, especially if
pauses in the snoring are noted,
should consult a physician

Common Sleep Myth 2

Daytime sleepiness always

means a person isnt getting

enough sleep
Excessive daytime sleepiness
Feel drowsy
Urge to fall asleep during the day
Occur even after getting enough sleep
A sign of a sleep disorder
Put a person at risk
Symptoms should be discussed with a
physician

Common Sleep Myth 3

Insomnia is characterized by
difficulty falling asleep

Only one of four symptoms

Other symptoms include:
Waking up to early and not being able to
fall back asleep
Waking up frequently
Waking up feeling unrefreshed

Discuss symptoms with a doctor if

they:
Happen more than a few times a week
Impact a persons daily functioning

Common Sleep Myth 4

Health problems such as obesity,

hypertension, and depression are

unrelated to the quality and quantity of
sleep a person gets

Correlation between health problems and sleep

activities
Insufficient sleep affects growth hormone secretion
Linked to weight gain and obesity
Blood pressure falls during the sleep cycle
When sleep is consistently interrupted, it can have adverse
affects
Leads to high blood pressure and cardiovascular problems

Insufficient sleep impairs the bodys ability to use

insulin efficiently
Increased diabetes risk

Common Sleep Myth 5

The older you get, the less sleep you
need

Sleep experts recommend a range of 7 to 9

hours of sleep each night
Does not change as we get older
Sleep interruptions become more frequent
Because they get less sleep at night, older
people tend to get more sleep during the day
with scheduled naps

What can you do to improve

your sleep?

10 Important Sleep Tips

Regular bed and wake time schedule

Even on weekends

Establish a bedtime routine

Create a sleep conducive environment
Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows
Use bedroom for sleep and sex only
Finish eating 2-3 hours before bedtime
Exercise regularly
Complete workout 2-3 hours before bedtime

Avoid caffeine in the late afternoon and evening

Avoid alcohol close to bedtime

If you still have trouble sleeping

Record sleep activity in a daily journal
Take note of the problems you are having
See your doctor
Your doctor can help properly diagnose you

when he/she has more details

If your doctor cant help you, he/she may refer
you to a sleep specialist

Questions?

Sources
Better Sleep Council
National Sleep Foundation
http://www.sleepfoundation.org/site/c.huI

XKjM0IxF/b.4813227/k.2F67/Sleep_Tips.ht
m
http://www.sleephealth.com.au/The%20Sl
eep%20Cycle.htm