Vim & Vigor - Fall 2012 - Parrish Medical Center - (Page 12)

1 ANALYZE YOUR HABITS. Start your one-month journey to better sleep by taking a close look at your current habits. What time do you go to sleep and wake up? How long does it take you to fall asleep? 5 CREATE A BEDTIME ROUTINE. An hour before bedtime, begin your routine. Start by turning off the TV and computer, then get ready for bed and do a quiet activity like reading or a puzzle— something you find relaxing. REMOVE ELECTRONICS FROM THE BEDROOM. “Bedrooms are for sex and sleep,” Pick says. Don’t have a TV or a computer in your bedroom. 10 11 SKIP THE LATENIGHT SNACK. Avoid eating two hours before bed (especially sugary foods) because a spike in blood sugar can affect sleep, Pick says. 2 DETERMINE YOUR OBSTACLES. What’s preventing you from getting the sleep you need? “We have a culture that is crazed,” says Marcelle Pick, MSN, author of Are You Tired and Wired? Your Proven 30-Day Program for Overcoming Adrenal Fatigue and Feeling Fantastic Again. “We don’t ever shut down. Our body’s not made to do that.” 6 LOWER THE THERMOSTAT. 3 4 12 ESTABLISH SLEEP AS A PRIORITY. “You can’t continue to cheat your sleep without consequences—be they psychological or physiological,” Rosenberg says. Make sure you’re ready to make the necessary changes. SET A SLEEP SCHEDULE. Experts say that going to bed and waking up at the same times every day improves the quality of your sleep. It doesn’t have to be to the minute, Marks says. “It can be a range—between 10 and 10:30 p.m., for example.” The ideal temperature for sleep, Marks says, is 68 to 74 degrees. If you can’t adjust the thermostat that low, consider a fan. 7 12 13 KNOW WHEN TO GIVE UP. “Don’t spend hours in bed trying to fall asleep,” Rosenberg says. “Get out of bed, and go do something else.” But stay away from the television or computer, he adds. Instead, try reading a book or doing a puzzle until you’re tired. PULL THE SHADES. The darker your room, the better for sleep. Regular exercise—ideally 30 minutes a HIT THE GYM. day, five or more days a week—helps improve sleep, Marks says. 16 17 8 EAT DINNER EARLIER. When you eat dinner too late, your body might not be done digesting the food before bed, which can keep you awake. It can also cause nighttime heartburn, Marks says. Nicotine, a stimulant, can disrupt sleep. Plus, because smokers experience nicotine withdrawal at night, their sleep may be affected. A 2008 study showed that smokers are four times as likely as nonsmokers to QUIT say they don’t SMOKING feel rested after sleep. DO A SOUND CHECK. If noises outside your room are keeping you up, consider purchasing an ambient noise machine. PASS ON THE NIGHTCAP. “Alcoholic beverages might make you sleepy,” Rosenberg says, but alcohol interferes with deep, restful sleep. CHECK IN. You’re halfway through the plan, and you’ve already made a number of changes! This is a good time to see how you’re feeling. BUT NOT TOO CLOSE TO BEDTIME. A workout boosts energy and may make it hard to go to sleep. Plus, your body temperature increases during exercise, and the body needs time to cool. Experts suggest working out more than two hours before bedtime. KICK THE CAFFEINE. To optimize your sleep, avoid caffeine in the evenings. But everyone’s body is different, Marks notes, so to be on the safe side, consider avoiding caffeine after noon. 14 15 18 9 19 20 GET COMFORTABLE. That might mean investing in a new mattress, better pillows or softer bedding. PHOTOGRAPHY BY THINKSTOCK CHECK IN. OK, just 10 more days to go. Are you sleeping at least seven hours a night? Are you waking up rested? Vim & Vigor · FALL 2 012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Fall 2012 - Parrish Medical Center

Vim & Vigor - Fall 2012 - Parrish Medical Center
Contents
Tasty Tips
Opening Thoughts
Community Calendar
Cardiopulmonary Connection
PMC Nurses Honored During National Nurses Week
30 Days to Better Sleep
I Can’t Ask My Doctor That!
He Said, She Said
Hold On to Your Health
STILL A SCREENING STAR
Your Joints: An Owner’s Manual
Weighing Your Options
No Greater Gift
Weather Alert
Virtual Health
Inherent Beauty
Ask and You Shall Receive
Community Health
Foundation Focus
Ask the Expert

Vim & Vigor - Fall 2012 - Parrish Medical Center