Getting a solid night of sleep is essential to being productive and alert. A "solid night" not just in duration, but also in the quality of the sleep we get.
"When we sleep, we not only rest a tired body, but also rest and refresh the mind," said Kurtis Kieleszewski, D.O., a family medicine physician with McLaren Macomb, who has extensively studied the benefits of sleep. "Our brain creates long-term memories and we re-build energy stores.
"We are really undervaluing the usefulness of a good night's sleep."
The majority of the population needs seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Without that, our bodies and minds do not function at full capacity. Without this we leave our healthy susceptible to a number of conditions:
- Increased depression/anxiety
- Irritability
- High-blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Type-2 diabetes
- Lowered testosterone
- Weight gain
Dr. Kieleszewski says there's not just one factor that leads to a person's lack of quality sleep, but there is always a remedy.
- Avoid eating late
- Avoid acidic or caffeinated foods/drinks later in the day
- Get moderate exercise (but avoid exercising too late)
- Relax with limited stimulation before bed
- Set proper mood in the bedroom (quiet, limited light)
- Avoid using cell phones and other electronics in bed
If even after trying all of these best practices you still find yourself lying awake or waking up several times in the middle of the night, Dr. Kieleszewski highly recommends making an appointment with your doctor to medically treat any remaining issues.
Join Dr. Kieleszewski for a free sleep seminar on June 16 at McLaren Macomb. Click here for free registration.