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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – We take sleep for granted but we should not. Would you go to work drunk? We need to think about sleep deprivation like alcohol intoxication. It, too, can cause car accidents and serious mistakes in judgement. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 35% of adults do not get enough sleep on a regular basis. Those in the eastern and western part of the country are worse off than those in the middle.
Why is sleep so important? Sleep impacts both your mental and physical life. Too little sleep creates unmanaged stress which limits brain cells from functioning well, interfering with learning and memory. Sleep may even help remove toxins from the brain that build up while we are awake Your brain needs rest, especially today when the average person is working 11 to 13 hours a day juggling work, home school and all the other responsibilities of life.
Lack of sleep is a vicious cycle. If you are stressed, and who isn’t today, it impacts sleep. Poor sleep adds to stress. If you lack resilience to manage this stress it can lead to further sleep disruptions and insomnia. We build resilience to manage stress through good nutrition, exercise, adequate sleep, medication if needed, and positive self-care.
How much sleep do you really need? Adults should be getting 7 to 9 hours a night but 6 out of every 10 adults are sleep deprived. Sleeping less than 6 hours a night is unhealthy. Teens need 8 to 10 hours of sleep. But close to 70% get far less than that with the average for teens being 6.5 hours of sleep. Younger school age children need 9 to 11 hours of sleep daily.
The CDC says those that are regularly sleep deprived are at greater risk for 10 chronic health conditions: heart attack, heart disease, stroke, asthma, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), cancer, arthritis, depression, chronic kidney disease, and diabetes. Many of these risks could be mitigated by getting adequate sleep and instituting the other factors that play into building resilience.
Our population is getting heavier and today it is estimated that more than 40% of our adult population is obese and that rate keeps climbing. Too little sleep has been linked to poor food choices and eating too many calories. Not getting enough sleep may increase both hunger and appetite. Some research even suggests that sleep deprivation may make the brain more sensitive to food stimuli, such as the sight and smells of food, making the desire to eat more rewarding.
Chronic stress, of which sleep deprivation is a major driver, additionally interferes with the optimum utilization of vitamins and minerals. Lack of magnesium can disturb sleep quality. B vitamins are depleted by chronic stress and need to be replenished daily. These vitamins help to support a positive mood and manage stress symptoms.
Surveys tell us that over 50% of Americans do not eat a healthy diet – eating too much food, too much saturated fat, sodium and sugar. Snacking, particularly in the evening on unhealthy choices, coupled with too much screen time can add up to sleep disturbances later that night.
2020 has been a tough year. Many of us feel we have lost control of many things in our daily life. We are looking forward to 2021 with a positive outlook. You can help yourself enjoy the new year more by resolving to get more sleep. It may seem like a small step but it is one that really matters. Zzzzzz!
© NRH Nutrition Consultants, Inc.
Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian and the author of 30 books.
Available as eBooks from iTunes and Kindle/Amazon:
Diabetes Counter – the most up-to-date information on managing diabetes
Calorie Counter – a weight loss guide that won’t let you down
Protein Counter – put the latest protein recommendations to work for you
Healthy Wholefoods Counter – planet-friendly eating made easy
Complete Food Counter – food counts and nutrition information at your fingertips
Fat and Cholesterol Counter – newest approach to heart-healthy eating
Available in print from Gallery Books:
Most Complete Food Counter, 3rd Ed.
For more information on Jo-Ann and her books, go to: www.TheNutritionExperts.com or on twitter: @JoAnnHeslinRD.