From the Team at Priority Care in Baltimore
Good Sleep Equals Good Health
It's true that you could survive on very little to no sleep. It's also true that you may only survive a few days or weeks in this setting of extreme sleep deprivation. Regardless, life expectancy and quality of life are potentially reduced if healthy sleep habits are not the norm in your life. It's interesting how most people feel like they should be getting more sleep, but are either unable to, or feel guilty like they are somehow "sleeping their lives away" if a night's sleep exceeds 7 or 8 hrs.
Why is Sleep Important?
Sleep is key to our long-term health, happiness, and well-being. Imagine waking up each day feeling refreshed, energized, and ready to tackle the world without having to jump in a cold shower or drink a pot of coffee a day? Imagine having fewer illness during the winter, like colds, the Flu, ear infections, sinus infections, and others. Imagine looking forward to what today will bring whether in the office, the clinic, the work-site, or the home. Getting the appropriate amount of sleep at night is one of the keys to making this happen.
Good sleep hygiene is more than the number of hours you "sleep." Your brain has waves much like a cellphone, microwave, or radio, and those waves change depending on level of brain activity which changes if we are awake, in a restful state, deep sleep, or dream sleep.
Getting Ready for Bed and Laying Down
Be sure to start winding down about an hour before going to sleep. This means no sweets, no TV, and no exciting reading. Think of the way we put children to sleep: a lullaby, consistent routine, warm bath, and some hugs and kisses. If, on the other hand, you let your child watch TV or play video games until bedtime, they will assuredly take longer to get to sleep and potentially not sleep as well or as long.
Plan to sleep around 7-9 hrs for adults, more for teenagers and children, and try to wake up around the same time everyday whether it's a weekday, workday, or weekend day.
Now Let's Go to Sleep
Following the recipe above will undoubtedly help you start to feel more human than you may feel on those sleep-deprived days, and will help build your immune system's ability of fight off many diseases from the common cold to the deadly Flu.
Your mental health will also be strengthened against illness such as Depression and Anxiety, and your child's growth and development will be more likely to reach their maximum potential. Sleep well!