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Article by Christine Zellers, MPP, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Cape May County, Family & Community Health Sciences Assistant Professor
Every March and November those of us living on the east coast fall back or spring forward and many of us find daylight savings time a difficult transition for energy levels and sleep habits. The clock change can impact our sleep because our body is regulated by light and darkness. Humans and animals alike receive signals from their body to sleep or wake that is dependent on light and dark cues, this is called the circadian rhythm. When the clocks change it can throw our sleep habits off. Obviously because so many of us have a hard time getting a good night’s sleep day light savings time is not the only factor that impacts a good night’s sleep.
Most adults need 7-9 hours per night of sleep although there is not an exact recommendation. The quick growth and development of babies means they sleep 16-18 hours per day and school aged children need about 9.5 hours per night because they are still growing and developing but not as much as babies. Older adults sleep less, sometimes due to certain medications but usually after age 60 sleep becomes shorter and more interrupted and can even be a lighter sleep. If you find you are not sleeping well for more than three weeks in a row it may be time to seek help from a medical professional but if your sleep is irregular once and a while it could be due to stress, medication, or a need for some habit changes.
Small lifestyle changes are an easy way to get more sleep and improve overall health. Just like children need a regular bed-time adults can benefit from routine sleep and waking times. Set an alarm when it’s time to go to bed just as you would to wake up, this will help your body develop a good sleep routine. Keep in mind that nicotine, alcohol, caffeine and both prescribed and recreational drugs could delay or interrupt sleep patterns. Try to avoid substances and recognize they could be detracting from a good night’s sleep. For instance, even though alcohol is a depressant too much can lead to a poor night’s sleep because it stops our bodies from going through the proper sleep cycles. In addition to the disruption various substances can have on sleep patterns, eating a heavy meal too close to bedtime could make sleep restless as the body works to digest a late meal or a heavy meal. Lifestyle changes are not always easy or quick but observing what you can change could bring you that good night’s sleep you are longing for.
During the day you may feel sluggish if you haven’t had a good night’s sleep. Sleep helps us function better at work and in life and even perform better when exercising. If your quantity or quality of sleep is lacking the last thing you probably want to do is exercise, however physical activity can make us sleep better so even though you may be tired think about moving to sleep well. The recommendation for exercise for adults is 150- 300 minutes of moderate exercise per week and two additional days that include strength training. Children should exercise for 60 minutes per day. A good exercise pattern will make sleep more regular too, it wears us out so we can rest our minds and bodies. A well-balanced diet is essential for so many parts of life and that includes sleep too. Eat nutrient dense foods from all five food groups to allow your body to function properly and sleep well. Reduce sugar in your diet and add fresh fruits and vegetables for a better night’s sleep. Often times we crave sugar when we are tired, and this can become a divisive ritual of eating sugar for energy and then not sleeping well because we have eaten too much sugar. Try to hold out when that sugar craving hits and go for a walk or drink some water so that you can break the sugar-sleeplessness cycle.
Stress can cause short-term or long-term sleeplessness so try managing stress. Unplug during the day and especially before bed to decrease extra brain activity just before bed. Even if you have taken your screen to dark while scrolling social media it can be engaging your brain too much to allow for restful sleep. Try putting down your devices at least an hour before bed to rest easily when it’s time. Have you ever laid awake at night with a wandering mind that can’t be settled, its likely your daytime activities are making nighttime rough so try doing something to relieve stress like being physically active or eating a nutrient dense diet, both contribute to stress reduction and can relieve anxiety and depression. Finding quiet time during the day is also important to encourage your mind to rest at night. Train your brain to sleep by discovering the benefits of meditation or deep breathing. Practicing these stress reducing activities teaches your brain how to focus on something other than what you have to complete the next day, it teaches you to take a mind time out which could make you sleep better. Make your bed exclusively for sleeping and ensure that the temperature of the room is comfortable and free of noise, light, and clutter. If you find yourself falling asleep at 8:30 every night on the sofa then at 8:25 go to bed so your sleep is not disrupted by moving to bed. Because stress can be such an influencer on our sleep take time to figure out how you might reduce your stress levels through daily habits that support good sleep.