Down For The Count Are You Getting Enough Zzzzz?

Save to notebook Email article Print article More articles

By Mia Bolaris-Forget

If you are anything like me, you probably rise and shine with the sun and work well past sundown AND, you function just fine.

Well, according to experts, you may want to redefine “fine”. Sleep specialists say that most adults require a minimum of 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night for peak performance, health and safety.

Sleep experts emphasize that lack of sleep, especially accumulated sleep deprivation may cause significant health issues, including obesity, lowered productivity, and safety concerns at home, on the job and behind the wheel. Consistently “robbing” your body of its required rest may also damage spatial memory and drain your body of essential hormones such as DHEA, melatonin and growth hormone.

Women who are “sleep deprived” may additionally be increasing their risk for heart disease, according to medical professionals. In fact, researches found that women who got (on average) 5 hours or less of shut eye per night were about 45 percent more likely to develop heart disease than their counterparts who got an average of approximately 8 hours of rest each day.

The time you go to bed may also influence your health. While occasionally burning the midnight oil won’t do any harm, frequently staying up late or working the night shift may “adversely” interfere with your body’s natural circadian rhythm, the cyclical changes that your body experiences every 24 hours. And according to studies, the long-term effects may include a higher risk or peptic ulcers, heart disease, and psychological problems.

No matter what time you crawl under the covers, sleep professionals suggest getting to bed at around the same time each evening. This, they say, not only helps balance your circadian cycle, but wards off insomnia. Should you experience apnea, experts suggest considering taking 400mg of valerian root. Calcium is another sleep generator.

Officials suggest that the body utilizes an abundance of calcium as it goes through its various sleep cycles. Taking 800 to 1,000 mg of calcium just prior to bedtime will assist in keeping your calcium levels adequate and help you get a better night’s sleep.

Long Island Health, Fitness & Beauty Articles > Down For The Count Are You Getting Enough Zzzzz?