0 Sleep Hygiene: 5 practical tips for more refreshing sleep

By Arshya Vahabzadeh, M.D. Follow @VahabzadehMD

Sleep is an essential part of our lives. Unfortunately, a growing number of Americans are not getting enough quality sleep. Some 70 million Americans have diagnosable chronic sleep problems. Key symptoms include reduced daytime alertness and disturbed sleep at night.

The effects of poor sleep can impact every aspect of our lives. Lack of sleep has been associated with problems at work, difficulties in relationships, medical and mental conditions, and an overall reduced quality of life. While some of these problems would benefit from a visit to your doctor, there are practical tips you can try for improved sleep. In this post on “sleep hygiene,” I discuss a useful set of practices for better sleep.

1. Resist coffee & other caffeinated drinks close to bedtime.

Caffeine is a stimulant and will keep you awake. Caffeine can be found in a range of products including coffee, tea, soft drinks, herbal supplements, and chocolate. Some people find it difficult to stop drinking coffee or soda. In that case, consider reduced or caffeine free versions. Also, drinking these products earlier in the day may reduce the effects of caffeine when it’s bedtime.

2. Don’t watch TV in bed.

Your body needs to associate your bed with sleep. Working, watching TV, or playing computer games in bed can disturb this association. This may lead to confusion for your body about what you want to do when you lie down in bed.

3. Keep your bedroom comfortable.

Make sure you have a suitable bed that’s comfortable; check the temperature of your bedroom; and remove any sources of bright lights or loud sounds. Bright lights close to bedtime can breakdown melatonin, a chemical which helps to regulate the sleep-wake cycle.

4. Exercise!

Being physically active or exercising can help to tire you out so you fall asleep more easily. But you should not do any strenuous exercise right before bedtime because this may be counterproductive. If you want to exercise close to bedtime, try something relaxing like yoga.

5. Establish a sleep routine & stick to it.

Go to bed and wake up at the same times every night and day. Avoid daytime naps or staying up late and sleeping in on weekends.

If you’ve tried these tips and still struggle with sleep, you should talk to your doctor. Depression and anxiety can cause disturbances in sleep. Your primary care physician or a psychiatrist can help find a solution.

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0 The Significance of a Sleeping Brain

By Sara Coffey, D.O.

As a mother of a newborn, "sleep" is an increasingly interesting and important topic in our household.  Not only for my baby, but for my husband and myself - which brings me to the book Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Dr. Weissbluth.  Since I'm a psychiatry resident as well as a mom, I'm especially drawn to Dr. Weissbluth's discussion on studies showing sleep linked to temperament and attention in children.

Children need sleep in order to develop.  A sleeping brain is more than just a resting brain; it is a brain that's able to restore, process, and complete essential tasks that an active awake brain is unable to do.  Dr. Weissbluth explains that for young infants, daytime sleeping or naps can help to enhance the brain’s capacity to think.  When we become adults, our busy schedules cause us to forget the importance of these daytime respites and restorations.  Our hectic grown-up days may not always allow naptime, but naps are essential to raising healthy infants and kids.  

The significance of sleep doesn't only apply to young children.  Did you know that teenagers need more sleep than pre-teens?  So, to all parents who are noticing behavior problems, irritability, decreased concentration, or other changes in your children's moods, focus on their sleeping habits.  HealthyMinds.org blogger Dr. Gariane Gunter shares how many hours of sleep a child needs according to his or her age in this post.  I've included some of her tips below:

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  Birth-6 Months: Children need 16-20 hours
  
  


• 6-12 Months: Children need 14-15 hours


• Ages 1-3: Children need 10-13 hours


• Ages 3-10: Children need 10-12 hours


• Ages 11-12: Children need 9-12 hours


• Teenagers need 10-12 hours of sleep per night

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0 Make Mental Health Your Priority Every Month

By Felicia Wong, M.D



As the month of May comes to an end, make a promise to yourself that personal mental wellness will remain a daily priority.  Mental Health America has been working for 100 years to promote well-being for all Americans and recently developed a resource called 10 Tools to Live Your Life Well based on extensive scientific evidence.

Each day, we face all sorts of demands and drama which can lead to insomnia, lack of concentration, problems in our relationships, and other mental health issues. 

These "10 Tools" provide proven, healthy ways to cope with stress and boost your overall well-being.  Make a commitment to follow this list and feel more relaxed, fulfilled, and focused long after Mental Heath Month is over. . .  

1) Connect with Others. People who feel connected are happier and healthier--and may even live longer.

2) Stay Positive. People who regularly focus on the positive in their lives are less upset by painful memories.

3) Get Physically Active. Exercise can help relieve insomnia and reduce depression.

4) Help Others. People who consistently help others experience less depression, greater calm, and fewer pains.

5) Get Enough Sleep. Not getting enough rest increases risks of weight gain, accidents, reduced memory, and heart problems.

6) Create Joy and Satisfaction. Positive emotions can boost your ability to bounce back from stress.

7) Eat Well. Eating healthy food and regular meals can increase your energy, lower the risk of developing certain diseases, and influence your mood.

8) Take Care of Your Spirit. People who have strong spiritual lives may be healthier and live longer. Spirituality seems to cut the stress that can contribute to disease.

9) Deal Better with Hard Times. People who can tackle problems or get support in a tough situation tend to feel less depressed.

10) Get Professional Help if You Need It. More than 80 percent of people who are treated for depression improve.

So now you know the tools. . . Today is the perfect time to start incorporating this list into your day-to-day routine.  For more information, go to http://www.liveyourlifewell.org/ . 

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0 How Much Sleep Do Kids Need?

By Gariane Gunter, M.D.

Children these days are busier than ever!  I often hear from parents that it is such a rush to fit everything in and still get the kids to bed on time.  I struggle with the same dilemma at my house.  As a mom, I understand how difficult early bedtimes can be, however, as a psychiatrist, I know why an adequate sleep schedule is so significant for our child's physical and emotional health.   

The American Academy of Pediatrics Guide to Your Child's Sleep provides some helpful guidelines regarding just how much sleep children need at different stages in their development. Keep in mind that these numbers reflect total sleep hours in a 24-hour period. So if your child still naps, you'll need to take that into account when you add up his typical sleep hours.

Birth-6 Months, children need 16-20 hours

6-12 Months, children need 14-15 hours

Ages 1-3, children need 10-13 hours

Ages 3-10, children need 10-12 hours

Ages 11-12, children need 9-12 hours

Teenagers need 10-12 hours of sleep per night

Kids need a lot of sleep, huh?!  Children and teens who are sleep deprived may show some difficult behaviors.  They may display frequent irritability, overreact emotionally, have difficulty concentrating, forget things easily, wake often during the night, and may even display hyperactive behaviors.

Teaching kids how to keep a nighttime routine that gets them to bed early will help your children be at their best.  Sweet Dreams!

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0 Nine Topics to Consider in a Mental Health Checkup

By Gina Duncan, M.D.

Yesterday, I wrote about the concept of a mental health checkup. Over the next few days I’ll provide a list of nine topics to consider when thinking about the state of your own mental health. While not exhaustive, the topics on this list are meant to provide a starting point to help you examine how you’re doing emotionally and mentally. If any of these items raise a red flag for you, be sure to talk with your doctor. If you are concerned that you may have anxiety, depression, or another mental illness, or if you need help finding a professional to talk to, see my previous post on finding a therapist for tips.

Sleep — How are you sleeping at night? Is it restful, or does it leave something to be desired? Poor sleep can often be the first sign that there is something troubling you emotionally. When under stress or dealing with a more serious mental illness, many people find that they cannot fall asleep as quickly as they used to because of excessive worry or a feeling of not being able to “turn off” their mind, and others find themselves waking up frequently throughout the night. For some, insomnia can be put to rest with simple sleep hygiene measures such as limiting caffeine in the evening and creating a bedtime ritual. For others, common over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aids such as Tylenol PM, Benadryl, and herbal medicines like melatonin can be helpful if used in limited quantities and for a limited amount of time. [Note: although they are advertised under many different brands, most OTC sleep medicines have diphenhydramine (generic Benadryl) as their active ingredient. Make sure to read the labels so you don’t take medicines you don’t need and to decrease your risk of unsafe combinations.] It’s always a good idea to first check with your doctor before beginning any OTC sleep regimen to make sure there are no harmful interactions with other medicines you’re taking.

Tomorrow, I’ll continue the checkup with information about evaluating tension and anxiety and being tuned in to your emotions.

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