Six reasons why you need your sleep

One of the major myths in medicine is that some people don’t need very much sleep.  I often hear this from my patients who tell me, “I’m one of those people who don’t need a lot of sleep.”  That’s not true.  Practically everyone needs a good and long night’s rest.  How much sleep do we need? Experts believe that seven to nine hours is about right. The goal is to wake up feeling refreshed and to stay awake and alert throughout the day without relying on stimulants or other pick-me-ups.

While more research is needed to understand the relationship between chronic sleep loss and health, it’s safe to say that sleep is too important to shortchange. So if you haven't considered sleep as part of your healthy lifestyle goals, here are six reasons to consider doing so.

Sleep helps the brain commit new information to memory by way of a process called memory consolidation. One study showed that those who slept before a cognitive task did better. In others, subjects discovered more insightful or creative ways to problem-solve after a night’s sleep.

Chronic sleep deprivation may cause weight gain by altering metabolic functions, such as processing and storing carbohydrates, and by stimulating the release of excess cortisol, a stress hormone. Loss of sleep also reduces levels of leptin, a hormone that suppresses appetite, and increases levels of ghrelin (pronounced GRELL-in), an appetite-stimulating hormone — a combination that can encourage eating.

Sleep debt contributes to a greater tendency to fall asleep during the daytime. These lapses may cause falls and mistakes such as medical errors, air traffic mishaps, and road accidents.

Sleep loss, whether long- or short-term, may result in symptoms — irritability, impatience, inability to concentrate, and moodiness — that suggest psychological problems such as anxiety and depression. Too little sleep can leave you so tired that you don’t want to do the things you enjoy. Poor sleep also affects the ability to work effectively.

We don’t know much yet about the effect of chronic partial sleep loss on cardiovascular health. But serious sleep disorders such as insomnia and sleep apnea have been linked to hypertension, increased stress hormone levels, cardiac arrhythmias, and increased inflammation (which has been implicated in heart attacks).

Though all the mechanisms aren’t clear, scientists have found that sleep deprivation alters immune function, including the activity of the body’s killer cells. For example, sleep loss around the time of a flu vaccine has been shown to reduce the production of flu-fighting antibodies. Keeping up with sleep may also help fight cancer. Harvard researchers have shown that women who work at night are at increased risk for breast and colon cancer. The connection may be through melatonin, a hormone that helps put us to sleep; light at night cuts melatonin production.

So if you think you aren't getting enough rest at night, follow these tips to get better sleep:

• Get regular exercise, but not within three hours of bedtime.

• Don’t use alcohol as a sleep aid.

• Avoid caffeine after noon.

• Establish times for going to bed and getting up.

• Keep your bedroom temperature cool.

What I tell my patients is that what we know about sleep is that it is extremely important for good health.  If you are not sleeping well or sleeping enough, talk to your doctor about how you can get a good night’s rest.

Have you had sleep problems? What solutions have worked for you?

Guide to a Good Night’s Sleep
Sleep can be as important to your health as diet and exercise, but for many people, falling and staying asleep isn’t easy. The Harvard Medical School Guide to a Good Night’s Sleep lays out a six-step plan to improve sleep and deal with common issues like insomnia, disrupted sleep, sleepwalking, and the many other chronic sleep conditions that affect more than 70 million Americans. Through lifestyle and environment changes, you can finally sleep soundly—without necessarily having to take a pill.

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