SEVEN WAYS TO GET A HEALTHIER NIGHT'S SLEEP

“Humans are essentially the only mammals that willingly deprive themselves of sleep,” says sleep expert Rachel Salas, M.D.

And plenty more people wake up feeling tired, thanks to insomnia or more subtle sleep disturbances caused by problems like nighttime reflux and sleep apnea.

“But our need for sleep is still there,” Salas says. In fact, missing out on your fair share of high-quality sleep can boost your risk for depression, becoming overweight or obese, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and memory and concentration problems— and can even make you look older.

Yet research suggests that many of us are still taking wrong turns that keep us from getting the sleep we need and deserve. Here are proven solutions that can put you on the right path to better sleep.

Know when to watch the clock.

It’s normal to take 10 to 20 minutes to fall asleep after lights-out. If you’re dropping off within five minutes or find yourself falling asleep during the day, you’re likely not getting enough sleep. But if you’re still tossing and turning after 20 to 30 minutes, get up. Go read a book or listen to relaxing music until you feel sleepy, then return to your bed. It’s one way to train your mind to associate your bed with sleeping instead of struggling, research has shown.

Don’t underestimate caffeine.

It takes nearly six hours for half of the caffeine from your favorite coffee, tea or cola to exit the body. Caffeine too late in the day can cause lighter, more dis-

sleeping at all, researchers have found. In a 2018 study, researchers learned that consuming 400 mg of caffeine (the amount in two to three cups of coffee or one 20-ounce coffee drink) six hours before bed cut total sleeping time by more than an hour.

Skip the nightcap.

An estimated 10 percent of older adults use alcohol to overcome insomnia. It seems to help ... but is actually harmful. A recent review confirms that an alcoholic drink before bed can help you fall asleep faster. But it reduces the amount of time you spend in deeper sleep stages that affect memory, concentration and even physical coordination.

Trade sleep aids for sleep hygiene.

One in five older adults turn to drugstore sleep remedies, which often contain antihistamines that can cause dangerous daytime drowsiness (and can mask a fixable sleep problem). Instead, try upgrading your sleep habits. Salas suggests these steps for natural, high-quality sleep:

A bedtime ritual: Put on your pajamas. Relax. Avoid stressful activities, like working or having tense discussions. A peaceful bedroom: “Some people have a desk in their bedroom with bills on it and constant reminders of all the things they need to do,” Salas says. Instead, keep this room free of distracting clutter.No electronics at least 30 minutes before bed: Darkness in the evening helps our brains prepare for sleep. Staring at the light from your phone, computer or television throws off your brain’s internal clock.

Conditions like gastroesophageal

reflux disease and obstructive sleepapnea can rob you of quality sleep. Ifyou have heartburn, talk with yourdoctor about reflux treatments thatcan ease nighttime reflux. You mayhave sleep apnea if you snore loudlyand gasp or seem to choke at night astissue in your throat blocks your airways,causing you to momentarilystop breathing. If you share a bedroom,ask, “Do I snore loudly or gaspfor breath at night?” Treatments,including weight loss and wearing apressurized mask for better breathing,can reverse apnea.Still tossing and turning?

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for

insomnia retrains your body and mindfor deep sleep. In one study, CBT wasmore effective than prescriptionsleeping pills at helping people withinsomnia fall asleep faster and stayasleep with fewer interruptions. A yearlater, they were still sleeping well—without drugs. Ask your health careprovider how to give it a try.Consult with a sleep expert.

If you’re struggling with lack of sleep,

talk to your health care provider.However, Salas’s research as a JohnsHopkins sleep expert has found thatdoctors often get little training onsleep problems during medicalschool. If you can’t resolve your problemswith your health care provider’shelp, consider visiting a sleep specialist.This expert can help figure out ifsuch problems as restless legs syndromeor chronic pain are keepingyou from sleeping well.Definitions

Sleep apnea (ap-ne-ah): A disorder in which your breathing repeatedly stops

or becomes very shallow as you sleep.Your breathing may pause anywherefrom a few seconds to a few minutes.your sleep, making you tired during

the day and increasing yourrisk for heart problems, diabetes,obesity and driving or workrelatedaccidents.Restless legs syndrome (RLS): A

disorder that creates a strongurge to move your legs oftenbecause you notice strange orunpleasant sensations: creeping,crawling, pulling, itching, tingling,burning, aching and even electricshocks. When you move yourlegs, it relieves the strange sensations.The unpleasant feelings arestrongest when you are resting orinactive, and they can make itdifficult to fall or stay asleep.Gastroesophageal (gas-tro-e-soph

-a-ge-al) reflux disease (GERD): Acondition in which some of thecontents from your stomach flowbackward, up into your esophagus,causing heartburn. (Usually,food and beverages travel in onedirection: down the esophagusand into the stomach.) Becausesome of the stomach’s digestivejuices contain acid, this conditionis also sometimes called acidreflux or acid indigestion.Cognitive behavioral therapy