Did you know that sleep is a superpower? Along with exercise and nutrition, it’s one of the pillars of health.
Without sleep, we cannot form or maintain the pathways in our brain that allow us to learn and create new memories. And, as anyone who’s been sleep-deprived knows, it’s harder to concentrate and respond quickly when you’re tired.
Experts recommend 7-9 hours of sleep per night for healthy adults, but sleep need varies with the individual. How much sleep do you need? “However much allows you to stay wide awake during an afternoon meeting, and so that you’re not so tired that you fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow at night or need an alarm to awaken,” said Janet Hilbert, MD, assistant professor of clinical medicine in the Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine (Yale-PCCSM) in the Department of Internal Medicine at Yale School of Medicine.
Why is sleep so critical to our well-being? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, insufficient sleep and sleep disorders have been linked to multiple chronic diseases and conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and depression.
For healthy adults, getting adequate sleep each night should allow them to function at peak performance all day, Hilbert said. However, 35% of adults in the U.S. are not getting the recommended seven hours of sleep each night, she added.
Good sleep quality is also essential to your health. Signs of poor sleep include not feeling rested even after getting enough sleep or repeatedly waking up during the night.
Hilbert recommends making small changes in order to get a good night’s sleep, such as figuring out your optimal wake-up time on weekdays and not varying it too much on the weekends to avoid what she calls “social jet lag.” She also recommends a pre-bedtime routine that includes turning off your devices.
“Pay attention to drowsy cues, and sleep in a room that is dark, cool and quiet,” she said. “If you can’t sleep, avoid clock-watching and go back to your pre-bedtime routine.”
When you wake up, a walk outdoors and a light breakfast with protein will jump-start your day, she said. And if, despite your best intentions, you don’t get enough sleep, a short 20-minute power nap early in the day can help, she said.
After a good night’s sleep, you should feel energized when you wake, have no midday slump, look and feel great, and enjoy peak performance. “Sleep enhances attention, performance, mood, learning, and memory,” Hilbert said. “And the good news is that simple lifestyle measures can improve sleep.”
The Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine is one of the 11 sections within YSM’s Department of Internal Medicine. To learn more about Yale-PCCSM, visit PCCSM’s website, or follow them on Facebook and Twitter.