Catching Up on Sleep this Weekend

It's almost the weekend! How many of us are planning on "catching up" on sleep. That is sleeping in late, or going to bed early, because we missed some sleep during the week. If we compare sleep to money then it makes sense that we can catch up on sleep. Just like if you spend too much money one week, provided you don't bankrupt yourself, you can scrimp the next week and have the same amount of money in the bank at the end of the month.
Like most things in the human body, our sleep schedules are not that simple. There is no clear answer to why humans need sleep; however, some of the consequences of sleep deprivation include lowered immune function and decreased muscle growth[1]. We often use or hear the phrase "sleep debt" to represent the cumulative negative effects of insufficient sleep over multiple nights. This term, used by researchers and health professionals, reinforces the analogy of sleep as money. As if there was a "sleep bank" that we could make deposits to when we have down time and withdrawals from when we need more hours in a day to get things done. This often seems attractive to our modern lifestyles. But, is it that simple?
A recent article in US News recently examined the question Can you really catch up on sleep Experts made several good observations in the article, and I encourage you to go read the whole thing yourself. Some key points are:

• If you missed sleep one day, a little more sleep the next night will help you feel more alert the next day.
• Sleep deprivation has long term health effects that are not reversed by one or two nights of extra sleep.
• Extended oversleep can interrupt sleep cycles and cause more sleep problems than it solves.
• Quality of sleep matters as much, or more so, than quantity.

Maybe it makes more sense to think of sleep as water to a garden or lawn, rather than money in the bank. If you forget to water your lawn one day, water it a bit extra the next and it should be fine. However, if you repeatedly forget to water it, drowning it in water one weekend isn't going to help and may, in fact, make things worse. Total dollars (or other currency) in a bank account gives a good, but not absolute, indication of how healthy the owners financial are. However, good gardeners don't track the total amount of water they've expended in their garden; though their utility company might!
It is much more important to develop good habits when growing a garden or lawn. Water the correct amount regularly instead of tracking the total water used. Don't make a habit of skipping watering when it is needed. Sleep is important to health, even more so from an Asian medicine perspective. Good sleep, in both quality and quantity, is often a good indicator of health.
What about people who are already sleep deprived? The good news is: all is not lost! Has anyone ever told you that you need to have a great garden already in order to develop good gardening skills? Probably not, and if they did they lied to you! The US News article above gives some good tips on getting good sleep, and getting back on track if your already in the red so to speak. Here are 5 simple tips that can help you grow the sleep garden of your dreams:

1. The most important thing is to make a habit of getting enough sleep. Probably the most influential factor is to going to bed and waking up at the same time every day.
2. Make your sleeping area dark. Our bodies are trained to use darkness as a signal for when to sleep; use this to your advantage! If you must, due to work or some other unavoidable circumstance, sleep during the day use black out curtains and well fitting doors to make your room as dark as possible.
3. Limit substances that keep you awake. Limit caffeinated beverages to the morning. You should avoid caffeine at minimum four hours before your bedtime, but six hours or more is ideal. Alcohol may help you fall asleep, but it impacts the quality of sleep and actually impairs your ability to stay asleep; avoid it before bed. If at all possible, avoid cigarettes four hours before bed as nicotine is a stimulant like caffeine.
4. Stop watching TV or using the computer thirty to sixty minutes before you plan to go to bed. Research has shown that screen time right before bed hinders our ability to quickly fall asleep.
5. Stay hydrated, but don't wet the bed! You should drink when you are thirsty. If you do this throughout the day, you won't be excessively thirsty at bedtime. This will mean you have enough fluids and also won't be likely to drink a lot right before bed and have to get up in the middle of the night.

Acupuncture and herbs can also be very helpful in treating insomnia and maintaining good sleep in general. See the link in the top right column of this blog to find out more, and remember consultations can be done over the phone and are completely free with no obligation.
[1]: Why Do We Sleep, Anyway? healthysleep.med.harvard.edu