TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 2023 - SLEEPING - PART II

 TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 2023 - SLEEPING - PART II

This week I’m looking at various health issues.

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SO WHAT ELSE ABOUT SLEEP:

Eating More Fiber Could Help You Get a Better Night's Sleep

Growing evidence indicates that sufficient nutrient consumption is important for sleep. One large study found a lack of key nutrients, such as calcium, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, D, E, and K to be associated with sleep problems 

Good foods to eat before bed

Oats, Almonds, Bananas, Honey

Foods bad for sleep

Caffeine, Alcohol.Fatty Foods, Cheese, Spicy Food, Pizza, Ice Cream  

SOME SLEEP PROBLEMS

Sleep apnea, in which your breathing is repeatedly interrupted as you sleep
Insomnia, which is trouble falling or staying asleep
Restless legs syndrome, in which you have a strong urge to move your legs when you lie down

SLEEP AND WEIGHT
It's not clear whether weight gain leads to poor sleep, or if poor sleep leads to weight gain But studies have shown that losing weight can help you sleep better. And getting enough sleep may help make your weight loss plan more effective, as well as improve your overall health.

If you are trying to lose weight, make sure you get enough sleep

NAPS
I’m not sure if it still happens, but as kindergarteners, we had our “nap rugs” and we took a short nap during Kindergarten class.  Parents expect their toddlers to nap. 

A siesta is a short nap taken in the early afternoon, often after the midday meal. Such a period of sleep is a common tradition in some countries, particularly those in warm-weather zones.

The Cleveland Clinic found:
“Naps have other health benefits, too. One study found that naps have the potential to boost memory when learning new information or new tasks. A midday nap can also help you feel more alert and reset you a bit emotionally, easing stress enough to help you be less impulsive and deal with frustration a little better.

Karen adds.  My nap is almost a sacred time.  I take a power nap - maybe 15 to 20 minutes almost every day.  When I awake, I am really refreshed.  If something was off before the nap, it almost always is gone.  I notice on Thursdays when I play bridge if the bridge morning was bad - bad bidding, bad playing, others complaining - that I’m ready to kick the dog when I come home (and I don’t even have a dog!!!).  But, that 15-minute nap wipes out the negatives of the morning.  

The American Heart Association says this about naps:

“BENEFITS OF NAPPING

Increased Alertness: It’ll be easier to pay attention during your staff meeting -- or while driving your forklift -- if you can avoid nodding off or spacing out.

Attitude Adjustment: After a nap, you’ll be less impulsive and better able to deal with frustration -- in other words, you’ll be in a better mood. Napping kills the crankiness.

Improved Memory: When your computer crashes, you lose data. But when you crash on the couch for a while, it actually helps your memory. A nap can make it easier to recall facts learned earlier that day.

A Creative Mindset: You need sleep to learn new skills and to be creative (that’s when your brain can finally process the info you’ve stuffed into it)

Cash Saver: You probably know that energy drinks and too much coffee aren’t good for you and aren’t as good for your brain as a nap, but have you calculated how much money you’d save by replacing costly trips to the cafe with free naps?  <grin>

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MELATONIN SLEEP AIDS

Melatonin sleep aids are growing in popularity, with over 5 million Americans, according to a nationwide survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you’re among them or are considering melatonin for sleep, it’s smart to understand exactly how melatonin works. 

Your body produces melatonin naturally. It doesn’t make you sleep, but as melatonin levels rise in the evening it puts you into a state of quiet wakefulness that helps promote sleep,

“Your body produces melatonin naturally. It doesn’t make you sleep, but as melatonin levels rise in the evening it puts you into a state of quiet wakefulness that helps promote sleep,”

“Less is more, take 1 to 3 milligrams two hours before bedtime. To ease jet lag, try taking melatonin two hours before your bedtime at your destination, starting a few days before your trip. “You can also adjust your sleep-wake schedule to be in sync with your new time zone by simply staying awake when you reach your destination—delaying sleep until your usual bedtime in the new time zone.

“If melatonin for sleep isn’t helping after a week or two, stop using it.

ALCOHOL AND SLEEP

But even if you thud into dreamland, there’s a good chance that too much alcohol will mean a fitful night of sleep. That’s because alcohol disrupts what’s known as your sleep architecture, the normal phases of deeper and lighter sleep we go through every night. A night of drinking can “fragment,” or interrupt, these patterns, experts say, and you may wake up several times as you ricochet through the usual stages of sleep.

“You pay for it in the second half of the night, alcohol is initially sedating, but as it’s metabolized, it’s very activating.”

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I hope you didn’t fall asleep reading this!!!

I’m writing this in the morning.  I’ve had my coffee (caffeine) - now time to tackle the things in front of me!!

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

KAREN ANNE WHITE, © JUNE 20, 2023