Making quality sleep a priority is essential to optimal health and well-being. The perils of poor sleep are often stressed by health professionals, yet sleep deprivation and disorders remain common. Insufficient sleep can result in short-term, long-term and even fatal consequences. Sleep issues can negatively affect judgment and decision making, mood, memory and immune function. Sleep loss or poor-quality sleep can also lead to error, decreased productivity and reaction time at work and while driving, all of which can result in harmful or even deadly accidents. Research also indicates that consistent failure to achieve quality sleep may increase risk for chronic disease.
To learn more about the relationship between sleep and health, check out this informative page from the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School or this resourceful report from the American Psychological Association.
There are many non-medicated methods of achieving better quality sleep that are worth giving a good try. Suggestions include:
- Avoid caffeine and other stimulants, such as nicotine and alcohol, close to bedtime
- Eat your last large meal well before bedtime
- Obtain regular exercise to promote good sleep
- Limit TV and the use of computers or mobile devices at night
- Develop a regular and relaxing bedtime routine and stick to it
- Ensure that your sleep environment is safe, stress-free and comfortable
Discover additional helpful hints on healthy sleep hygiene and natural ways to encourage a good night’s rest from the National Sleep Foundation here.
Resources
Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School. http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/consequences
American Psychological Association. http://www.apa.org/topics/sleep/why.aspx?item=1
National Sleep Foundation. http://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/ask-the-expert/sleep-hygiene
