Sleep Yourself Well

If you are feeling run-down, are struggling to focus, or are feeling irritable for no clear reason, you may want to look into your sleep patterns. Maintaining adequate amounts of quality sleep is essential to your optimal health and well-being.

AffectsofSleep Deprivation

HIGHERRISKFORILLNESS:• less than optimalimmunesystemfunction• Inflammation&bloodsugarincreases• increasedriskofdiabetes,heartdisease,stroke,andinfection.

AffectsofSleep Deprivation

• IncreaseriskofInjuryBothphysicalandmentalexhaustionIncreasestheriskofinjury,errors,andaccidents.

AffectsofSleep Deprivation

LessthanOptimalBrainFunction• Changesinbrainactivityoccur• Mentalperformancesuffers• mood,focus,andcognitivefunctionisimpacted

AffectsofSleep Deprivation

MORELIKELYTOGAINWEIGHT:• Leptin(hormoneimportantinappetitecontrol)isreduced

• appetiteandcravingsincreaseashungerisnotnaturallysuppressed

AffectsofSleep Deprivation

MORELIKELYTOSTRUGGLEWITHEMOTIONS:• Increasedfeelingsofirritability,anxiety,sadness,andanger

SleepCanHelptoIMPROVEQUALITYOFLIFE

•Increasesenergytomakebeneficiallifestylechoices(cooking,exercise,self-care,etc.)•Strengthensimmunesystem•Heightensalertness,focus,andcreativity•Improvesmood– reducesanxiety,irritability,andmentalexhaustion•Increaseslibido

HOWMUCHSLEEPDOYOUNEED?

Everyonerequiresqualitysleepforoptimalhealth,thoughhourswillvarydependingontheindividualandtheirage.Tryexperimentingwithyoursleeppatternstofindoutwhatworksbestforyou!TheNationalSleepFoundationsuggests7-9hoursofsleepforindividuals18+years.

10STEPSTOWARDSBETTERSLEEP

1.MAINTAINACONSISTENTDAILYSCHEDULE

2.REDUCEYOURDAILYINTAKEOFCAFFEINE

3.TURNOFFTHECOMPUTERORTELEVISION

4.DON’TGO TOBEDONAFULLSTOMACH

5.DON’TGOTOBEDONANEMPTYSTOMACH

10STEPSTOWARDSBETTERSLEEP6.EXERCISEREGULARLY 7.LIMITBEVERAGESBEFOREBED

8.KEEPYOURBEDROOMDARKANDQUIET

9.INVESTINCOMFORTABLEBEDDING

10.GOTOSLEEPANDWAKEUPUSINGYOURINTERNALCLOCK

RESOURCES1. SleepandHealthhttp://geti.in/1hFRmT7

2.ConsequencesofInsufficientSleephttp://geti.in/1ilGyVh

3.SleepDeprivationEffectsonHealthandWell-Beinghttp://geti.in/1s3Ehrr

4.Sleep,Performance,andPublicSafetyhttp://geti.in/1qpMIbV

5.HowMuchSleepDoWeReallyNeed?http://geti.in/1ph6pFt