(Part 2 of 2)

The quality of your sleep can affect your health and well-being. Habits and practices can either promote or hinder quality sleep. By better understanding the implementation of specific sleep hygiene practices, one can improve overall sleep quality and relative health and well-being. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society recommend that adults should get 7 hours of sleep per night, while children and teens require more. A third of US adults report that they usually get less than the recommended amount of sleep. Lack of sleep has been
associated with the development and management of several chronic diseases and ailments such as obesity, depression, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases (Sleep and Sleep Disorders, 2023).

I have studied and practiced many sleep methods/behaviors and their relationship with exercise, meditation, and other mind/body practices. What we do or don’t do during our waking hours can determine the quality of our sleep at night. Conversely, how well we sleep, and duration can affect the quality of our waking hours also. Practicing stress relieving exercises and behaviors during the day such as yoga, mindful breathing, meditation, and tai chi, (A Prescription for Tai Chi? A UCLA Researcher Works to Position This Ancient Mind-body Practice Into Mainstream Medicine Nationwide. – Document – Gale General OneFile, 2024) and many other physical exercise methods, can help the mind and body to better process information and rejuvenate during the sleep stages. Mental output and activity often become stressful when we try to work, manage family duties, solve finances, and manage hundreds of other daily tasks. A good night’s rest is most often earned by what we eat, what we think, and what types of physical activity/exercise we practice throughout the day. This is what I have learned and experienced from my own anecdotal experiences.

Diabetes – Studies show that poor sleep is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Sleep duration and quality are predictors for levels of Hemoglobin A1c, an important marker for blood sugar control. Research posits that sleep duration and quality may be important factors in improving blood sugar control for those with type 2 diabetes.

Obesity – Research shows that short sleep duration results in metabolic changes that may be associated with obesity. Other studies have also reported a link between excess body weight and short sleep duration. This link has been seen in all age groups and is particularly pronounced in children. It is suggested that sleep quality in childhood and adolescence is very important for brain development. Lack of sleep in children may affect the hypothalamus, which modulates appetite and the utilization of energy.

Cardiovascular Disease – Those suffering from sleep apnea are at increased risk for cardiovascular diseases. Stroke, irregular heartbeat, hypertension, and coronary heart disease are thought to be more common for persons with sleep disorders. Also sleep apnea and hardening of the arteries seem to share common physiological characteristics, whereas sleep apnea may be another predictor of cardiovascular disease.

Depression – Poor sleep quality has been known to be a symptom of depression. Research shows that depressive
symptoms may diminish once sleep apnea has been treated where appropriate sleep is restored. The association between sleep and depression posits that it is important for those with depression to be aware of sleep disorders, as those persons with sleep disorders need to be observed for issues with depression (Sleep and Chronic Disease, 2022).

Key Sleep Disorders:

• Insomnia
• Narcolepsy
• Sleep Apnea
• Restless Leg Syndrome

I found this topic of sleep hygiene to be very expansive. I have listed below behaviors that can be implemented to help ensure more sleep duration and better quality.

• Refrain from eating or drinking much within 3 hours before bedtime.

• Reduce consuming caffeinated or alcoholic drinks later in the day.

• Eliminate afternoon naps after 3 p.m. if you usually sleep well during the night.

• Perform some type of exercise every day.

• Exercise or physical activity engaged close to bedtime can make it more difficult for some to fall asleep.

• Follow a consistent schedule to help relax before sleep; shower, bathe, listen to music, read, etc.

• Go to sleep when you are tired and try to rise at the same time each morning.

• Reduce viewing lighted screens, such as TV, computer, or smartphone before going to bed.

• Keep the bedroom quiet, cool, and dark.

• Use a sleeping mask, earplugs, or a fan, to block light and reduce sounds.

• Keep stimulus away from you and your bed. Accessing your phone, TV, or food while in bed can make it more difficult to fall asleep while in bed (Sleep and Your Health | Office on Women’s Health, n.d.)

References:

A Prescription for Tai Chi? A UCLA researcher works to position this ancient mind-body practice into mainstream medicine nationwide. (2024, March). Healthy Years, 21(3), 1+. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A783577598/ITOF?u=vol_vsc&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=07847cf8

Module 6. Improving your Sleep and Alertness, Create a Good Sleep Environment (Continued) | NIOSH | CDC. (n.d.). https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/work-hour-training-for-nurses/longhours/mod6/03.html

Sleep for a good cause. (2022, July 28). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/library/features/diabetes-sleep.html

Sleep and sleep disorders. (2023, March 23). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/index.html

Sleep and your health | Office on Women’s Health. (n.d.). https://www.womenshealth.gov/mental-health/good-mental-health/sleep-and-your-health

I teach and offer lectures about holistic health, physical fitness, stress management, human behavior, meditation, phytotherapy (herbs), music for healing, self-massage (acupressure), Daoyin (yoga), qigong, tai chi, and baguazhang.

Please contact me if you, your business, organization, or group, might be interested in hosting me to speak on a wide spectrum of topics relative to better health, fitness, and well-being.

I look forward to further sharing more of my message by partnering with hospitals, wellness centers, VA centers, schools on all levels, businesses, and individuals who see the value in building a stronger nation through building a healthier population.

I also have hundreds of FREE education video classes, lectures, and seminars available on my YouTube channel at:

https://www.youtube.com/c/MindandBodyExercises

Many of my publications can be found on Amazon at:

http://www.Amazon.com/author/jimmoltzan

My holistic health blog is available at:

https://mindandbodyexercises.wordpress.com/

http://www.MindAndBodyExercises.com

Mind and Body Exercises on Google: https://posts.gle/aD47Qo

Jim Moltzan

407-234-0119