November 2017


Contents

 

Monthly calendar
November calendar on Page 5

Page 3 of 5

Sleep Talk

Most of us, at some time in our lives, have made dietary and exercise changes to become healthier, but how many times have we considered our quality of sleep as a significant contributor to our overall health? With our fast paced lives and the drive to do more in a day, we often cut our sleep time short. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, healthy adults should get a minimum of seven hours of sleep nightly (with a range of seven to eight hours recommended), yet 63% of Americans report that their sleep needs are not being met during the week. Chronic tiredness damages physical, emotional, psychological and social well-being.

The list of detrimental effects of sleep deprivation on our bodies is extensive, with some possibly resulting in very serious outcomes that can impact our personal as well as work performance. Those who do not get adequate sleep routinely can be more irritable, stressed, and more prone to miss work time due to health-related issues. They are often less focused, less motivated, more prone to outbursts, or more withdrawn and less cooperative. When team work and communication are intrinsic to professional success, these issues become harmful to the employee, their coworkers and employer as well as the population they serve.


"While fatigue can adversely affect our work performance,
it can wreak havoc on our health."

Have you ever felt like you were nodding off while driving when tired? Lack of sleep has the potential to impact our cognitive abilities including judgement, perception, decision-making, memory, language, motor skills and reaction time. Microsleeps are momentary periods of sleep, “blackouts”, that can occur as a result of sleep deprivation. They typically last 2 to 30 seconds when a person is trying to stay awake, usually while performing monotonous tasks such as driving, reading or working on a computer. This could prove to have dangerous consequences in occupations where driving, operation of machinery or care or protection of other people is involved. Fatigue in the workplace has been directly responsible for some of the biggest disasters in modern history including the massive Exxon Valdez oil spill. In 1999, when American Airlines Flight 1420 crashed killing the flight crew and 105 passengers, it was determined by the National Transportation Safety Board that “impaired performance resulting from fatigue” was a contributing factor.

While fatigue can adversely affect our work performance, it can wreak havoc on our health. Chronic lack of sleep has been linked to depression, anxiety, mental distress and decreased sex drive. Lack of sleep leads to obesity. Inadequate sleep increases cortisol levels in our body. Increased cortisol, known as the stress hormone, adversely affects glucose levels and causes weight gain. Poor sleep also affects the peptides, ghrelin and leptin, which regulate appetite. It increases food cravings (in an attempt to boost energy with a quick fix). Additionally, poor sleep has been associated with increased alcohol intake. Alcohol is commonly used as a sleep aid, but the sedating effect is only temporary which in turn can lead to awakening a few hours later.

Sleep deprivation may lead to diabetes mellitus by affecting the way our bodies process glucose. A single night of inadequate sleep can elevate blood pressure in a hypertensive person for the entire next day. Over time, lack of sleep can increase risk for heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat and stroke. A study by the Harvard Medical School showed an approximate 15% increase in the risk of death in people who slept less than five hours a night.

“A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book." -Irish Proverb

There is much we can do to improve our sleep patterns and ultimately our overall health. The following are tips for getting a good night’s sleep:

Additionally, if you are a shift worker, you may find it helpful to:

Daylight Saving Time is on November 5th this year. Plan to enjoy an extra hour of sleep as we turn our clocks back and establish new practices that will contribute to better sleep and your overall health. Sweet dreams!