Sleep

SleepHealth risks associated with poor sleepMore than a good night’s rest, good sleep can translate to a Just as importantly as what it can do for our health, is how a chronic lack of sleep can degrade our health. As longer, more healthful life. found in numerous multi-year studies, sleep deprivation increases the risk for chronic health problems, including:

We’ve all been there, suddenly awake at 2 am, unable to fall back to sleep, frustrated, mind racing through to-do lists and life’s great mysteries. On the flip side, we all recognize the amazing feeling upon waking after a good night’s sleep, well rested and ready to tackle the new day with vigor.

Why we need it

Sleep is important for a variety of reasons, chief among them, to make sense of the day’s activities, create memories and needed neural pathways, and erase the minutiae that’s no longer needed. Specifically, it’s the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, with its deep dream states, that resets your mind and contributes to overall brain and intellectual health, emotional wellbeing, and learning. And they don’t call sleep “beauty rest” for nothing; even your skin looks (and is) tired without a good night’s rest. According to a study published by the National Institutes of Health, lack of sleep can lead to “decreased quality of life, risk for falls, psychological and physical difficulties, economic and social costs, risk for nursing home placement, and mortality.”

How much we need

And while we may deny it (or push our own boundaries, reading or streaming movies until the wee hours), research suggests that adults – including seniors – need at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night to be well rested and to perform at their best. However, according to a Harvard University report, “one in five Americans sleeps less than six hours a night – a trend that can have serious personal health consequences.”

OBESITY

• Type 2 diabetes • High blood pressure • Kidney disease • Heart disease • Hormonal disruption • Depression

DEMENTIA

Perhaps most troubling, recent studies, including at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital, have found that risk of dementia was double among participants who reported getting less than five hours of sleep, compared to those who reported seven to eight hours of sleep, per night. This research ties in with that of the British Whitehall II study, which followed participants for 25 years, beginning when they were 50 years old. Most remarkably, these findings suggest an earlier possible correlation between lack of sleep and dementia, noting that “people who don’t get enough sleep in their 50s and 60s may be more likely to develop dementia when they are older.” However, one always needs to remember that each study conducted and reported is just another piece in the sleep puzzle, giving us a fuller picture of how to attain optimum health. If you find yourself having trouble falling or staying asleep, or feeling unrested, don’t fret, but consult your physician for evaluation. Lack of or poor sleep can result from varying factors – like long afternoon naps and sleep disruptions (like a demanding bladder) to stress. (See other relevant information in our article “Getting Zzzzzs With One Less Pill” on nolaboomers.com.) And while you’re at it, work on your sleep hygiene, starting with these basics: go to bed and wake at the same time daily, block as much noise and light as possible, replace an old or uncomfortable mattress and pillows, and don’t watch TV or use smart devices in bed.

Trevor Wisdom is the managing editor of Nola Boomers, who is now going to bed early after researching this article.