April 2006
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A Matter of Health
Sleep and health
O sleep, O gentle sleep,
Nature's soft nurse – William Shakespeare [ King Henry IV, Pt. II (III, i).]
I am not sure why we sleep. It seems wasteful to spend so much of our lives unconscious, accomplishing nothing that the world accepts as useful deeds.
I have observed, indeed, that a person's success in life seems to be inversely related to his or her need for sleep. In other words, those who sleep less seem to accomplish more. It may not be the healthiest thing we do, however.
Now, however, research indicates that we need to sleep, and those of us who stint on those hours spent in intimate contact with the pillow could be piling up health problems for later. One recent study indicates that lack of sleep can play a role in the development of hypertension.
Our children do not get enough sleep. Their health and school work can suffer from this chronic problem.
Our teens are certainly likely to burn the midnight oil, keeping up with school, social lives and electronic distractions when they should be logging hours of "ZZZZs."
Researchers in the National Space Biomedical Research Institute with administrative offices here at Baylor College of Medicine study sleep, particularly as it relates to astronauts who sleep less when they are in space. As they learn more about sleep rhythms, their findings will certainly play a role in teaching us all how to get a better night's rest.
Some people actually have sleep disorders that prevent them from getting the sleep they need. Certainly, anyone who has slept in the same room with a snorer knows how that can affect their own ability to sleep. However, many of these folks wake themselves repeatedly during the night. Sleep clinics can play an important role in diagnosing these disorders, in which many people actually stop breathing, and help them achieve that perfect night of sleep.
As we age, sleep gets even harder to come by. As Robert Luchi, M.D., professor of medicine at BCM and an expert in geriatrics in the BCM Huffington Center on Aging, notes, many factors can play role in lack of sleep: medical illnesses, medication, psychiatric disorders, social changes, and poor sleep habits.
He advises:
- "Decaffeinating" yourself gradually
- Avoiding heavy meals or alcohol before going to sleep
- Including exercise in your daily routing, but relaxing before you go to bed
- Dimming the lights or turning them off, finding a comfortable room temperature and eliminating sleep interruptions such as a ringing telephone or unpleasant noise
- Keeping your bedroom for sleep alone
If you awake during the night, get up and go to another room. There, engage in a relaxing activity such as reading a book. Then, when you start to nod off, go back to bed.
If none of this works, seek professional help. You may have an unrecognized problem that is keeping you from getting your sleep.
It's worth the effort. Nothing beats waking up on a bright spring or summer morning after a refreshing night's sleep. Try to make it happen.
| A Matter of Health | |
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Sleep and health |
| Briefs | |
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Baylor ranked 10th on national list of medical schools |
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Kuspa appointed new chair in biochemistry and molecular biology |
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Stal named chief of the division of plastic surgery at BCM |