July Healthy Hint

What's your deficit? According to one national survey, 64% of those queried get less than 8 hours nightly and another 31% get less than 7. No wonder 40% report they have trouble staying awake during the day. The sleepless in the U.S. total a hefty $15-20 billion a year in medical cost, lost productivity and accidents. Men make up 30% of the deprived; women 40%.  Without sleep, fatigue and brain fog increase but the toll on your health may be more than you realize. Although sleep was once thought of as a "brainless" activity, getting your zz's has benefits we've never dreamed before for the nervous system. One theory is that neurons shut down and repair cells and connections during sleep so you'll "power up" in the morning mentally and physically. The brain slows activity in the emotional and thinking areas, suggesting sleep is good for de-stressing and balancing us as well. During deep sleep, growth hormone is released and protein production increases for cell repair and growth. Plus, nerve-signal patterns from daily events repeated during deep sleep in a rat study may indicate the brain's ability to reinforce memory and learning. Even pain levels increase when the body is deprived of sleep on a long term basis. To help yourself, follow the rules for sleep hygiene and go to bed around the same time every night. This helps set your body clock for sleep. Maintain a comfortable room temperature. Have fluffy, comfortable bed pillows and mattress. Keep the room as dark as possible as light signals your brain to waken. Try a warm (not hot) soak for 20 minutes before retiring to relax muscles. Some studies suggest that computers screen keep neurons firing and interfere with sleep long after you've switched the computer off. Try reading or doing a quiet activity before retiring. Finally, try sleep helpers like a warm glass of milk, 5-HTP or Valerian Rest™ to calm the nervous system. They will be effective without that next morning grogginess or hung over feeling. Of note, many people have been advised they have restless legs with random movement at night and a “crawling bug” sensation in their legs. Valerian Rest™ and/or Fibro-Care Cal™ ease the muscles and “creepy” feeling.  Please be sensible and let your doctor know when you need help as sometimes sleeplessness has a medical cause. You may want to think about going to a sleep lab to rule out a more serious condition like sleep apnea where your breathing stops occasionally during sleep. Your doctor may also suggest other testing as well. [Source for sleep facts: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke/NIH]

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