CommonHealth’s Guide to Healthy Sleep

Getting Your ZZZs

How many hours of sleep do you get per night on

average?

5 6 7 8 9 hours?

1/3 of our lives are spent asleep

Losing sleep

1910 9 hours

TodayUnder 7

Kids need sleep tooA minimum of 10 hours for most age groups

Kids can display sleepiness as hyperactivity

Why…

•Heart•Learning•Immunity •Weight•Mental Wellbeing

because we have to

•Adenosine

•Melatonin

What happens when we don’t get enough rest?

AccidentsSerious health problems

Dumbs you down

Low sex driveDepressionWrinkles

ForgetfulnessWeight gainRisk of deathImpaired judgment about sleep

Poor sleep

Just one week of insufficient sleep alters the activity of our genes, which control our response to stress, immunity, inflammation and overall health.

Sleep & your heart

Blood pressure normally lowers during sleep

•Reduces plaque build-up in the arteries •Inadequate sleep prevents the nightly dip in blood pressureLack of sleep raises stress

hormone levels•Causes inflammation in blood vessels •Can lead to clogged arteries and blocked blood vessels

OvereatingIs a poor night’s sleep to blame?

Sleep helps maintain a healthy balance of the hormones that make

you feel hungry (ghrelin) or full (leptin).

Sleep HungerFullness

Sleep HygieneWhat you can do to get a

good night’s sleep

What if I can’t fall asleep?

If after 30 minutes you can not fall asleep or go back to sleep after waking:

GET UP! Try to reset your body’s signals for sleep

by : Decreasing your body temperature Reading something boring Keeping lights low Writing down what is on your mind

Naps

The Perfect Nap

Saturday Sleep In

Sleeping in can feel great…but can also mess up Monday morning because it

affects your biological clock.

Do yourself a favor and stick to a regular wake up and bedtime

Snoring can be serious

Do you snore and also wake feeling un-rested?

Sleep Apnea is when breathing stops briefly during sleep when airway partially

or completely closes The amount of oxygen in the blood drops Your brain wakes you enough to tighten

the airway muscles so you can breathe again

Could it be a sleep disorder?

Talk to your

Sleep disorders are often treatable

Visit the TLC CommonHealth website atwww.commonhealth.virginia.gov/tlc

for more great sleep resources

Questions?