Sleep

Physical and mental activity is important for health, but so is rest and recovery. Adequate sleep is not only essential for health, but for life itself. Rodents that are deprived of sleep begin to die off after about 2 weeks. Immune defenses deteriorate and the animals die of overwhelming infection. Inadequate sleep impairs thinking, promotes inattention and is associated with motor accidents. A high proportion of Americans live in a state of sleep deprivation. Are you getting enough sleep? Try this test to find out. Insufficient or disrupted sleep may be associated with increased risk of early mortality, high blood pressure, weight gain and possibly diabetes. Sleep may be disturbed by the rapid pace and stresses of daily life, stimulants such as caffeine in coffee, tea, and chocolate, and sleep disorders, such as restless leg syndrome, nocturnal myoclonus, and sleep apnea. Alcohol consumption and depression may lead to early morning awakening. Loneliness may have a negative impact on the quality of sleep. Many people have difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep (insomnia). Test your general knowledge about sleep here.

The best approach to sleep problems is to try to find the underlying cause and treat it. Sleeping pills may be used for short term treatment of insomnia or when other treatments have failed. Otherwise, it is best to use strategies such as changes in lifestyle (e.g., not consuming caffeine containing food and drinks after noon), or treatment of depression, sleep apnea or other problems first. Cognitive behavioral therapy and relaxation techniques, such as meditation, are better in the long term than sleep medications.

Try this exellent website, designed for children, for a simplified explanation of the science of sleep. The following have excellent general information on sleep: National Sleep Foundation, Medline Plus: Sleep Disorders, and a website National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, called Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep.