How to Get Better Sleep: Part 1

There’s nothing like waking up after a good night of sleep, feeling well-rested and ready for the day.

Unfortunately, that’s apparently not happening for one-third of U.S. adults, who report that they wake up after less than the recommended amount of sleep, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

If you are one of the sleep-deprived, you’ll want to read our two-part series on the importance of sleep and how to improve your nightly slumber. In Part 1, we look at why sleep is so important for our health and wellbeing. In Part 2, we offer realistic strategies to improve your sleep habits.

Sleep Matters

Getting good sleep is a biological necessity humans need to maintain good health. Sleep allows the body and mind to rest and repair, and not getting enough sleep has been linked to serious health problems, including:

High blood pressure

Your blood pressure goes down during normal sleep, but sleeping problems can mean that your blood pressure stays higher, and for a longer period of time. High blood pressure is a leading risk for heart disease and stroke.

Type 2 diabetes

Poor sleep has been associated with diabetes, and better sleep with improved blood sugar control.

Obesity

Studies have also shown that lack of sleep could impact the part of the brain that controls hunger, leading to weight gain.

Depression

Researchers have long seen a relationship between depression and poor sleep. Sleep disruptions can affect the body’s stress system, increasing the likelihood of depression, according to the National Sleep Foundation.

Poor mental function

We all know that groggy, foggy feeling from not sleeping well. Sleep helps maintain cognitive skills, such as attention, learning, and memory, as well as the ability to cope with stress, according to Columbia Psychiatry News.

Accidents

Not getting enough sleep can lead to motor vehicle crashes and mistakes at work. Sleep deprivation increases the likelihood of a workplace accident by 70 percent, and drowsy driving accounts for 1 in 5 fatal motor crashes, the National Sleep Foundation reports.

How Much Matters

Hopefully, you’re now convinced of the importance of sleep. But how much sleep is enough? The CDC has issued recommendations by age:

It’s a myth that you need less sleep as you age, and trouble sleeping can be the result of bad sleep habits that develop at any age, according to the National Institute on Aging. But there are some conditions related to age that can interfere with sleep, including menopause and sleep apnea, which is more common among older adults.

What’s Keeping You Up?

Sleep disorders are conditions that, no matter how hard they try, prevent people from getting enough quality sleep, according to the National Institutes of Health. They include:

Insomnia

When you have difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep—is one of the most common sleep disorders and can leave sufferers feeling exhausted during the day.

Sleep apnea

Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder, according to the Mayo Clinic. People with sleep apnea snore loudly or gasp for air during sleep (and, if you sleep with a partner, you may have already heard the complaints). As a result, people with sleep apnea may notice daytime sleepiness.

If you think you might have a sleep disorder, check out our tips in Better Sleep: Part 2 to learn more about good sleep hygiene. But if you feel you may have a serious sleep disorder, make sure to talk with your health care provider.