World Sleep Day is March 13, 2020
World Sleep Day® is designed to raise awareness of sleep as a human privilege that is often compromised by the habits of modern life.
“First and foremost, we need to make sleep a priority,” says Cleveland Clinic sleep disorders expert, Harneet Walia, MD.
Sleep. As someone with a chronic illness, sleep eludes me sometimes. I’m not the only one. It is estimated that sleep-related problems affect 50 to 70 million Americans of all ages and socioeconomic classes….some of these are from chronic illness, some from effects of medications that they take, and some because their sleep hygiene is poor. My poor sleep is due to having a chronic illness and a couple of medications that I take. I practice good a variety of practices and habits, referred to as sleep hygiene, and I will share what I do at the end of this article.
How Much Sleep One Needs By Age:
- Ages 65 or older need 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night
- Ages 26 to 84 need 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night
- Ages 18 to 25 need 7 to 9 hours of sleep
- Ages 14 to 17 need 8 to 10 hours of sleep a night
- Ages 6 to 13 need 9 to 11 hours of sleep
- Ages 3 to 5 need 10 to 13 hours of sleep
- Ages 1 to 2 need 11 to 14 hours of sleep
- 4 to 11 months need 12 to 15 hours of sleep
- 0 to 3 months need 14 to 17 hours of sleep
Chronic Conditions That Affect Sleep:
Diabetes- Fibromyalgia
- Obesity
- Cardiovascular disease
- Arthritis
- Depression
- COPD
People with chronic illness suffer from pain and fatigue. Chronic pain and fatigue that is constant can severely impact a person’s daily life, especially their ability to sleep. Many times what keeps a person with chronic illness awake is pain; talking to your doctor about pain management is important. Often times when pain is under control, sleep becomes better.
For my two illnesses Wegener’s and Subglottic Stenosis sleep is tough. I go through periods of extreme tiredness to wide awake. It is important to listen to your body.
The Benefits of Good Sleep Include:
- Boost the immune system, that way we fight off colds and sickness quicker
- Prevents weight gain. The hormone Ghrelin (the hormone for the appetite) produces more when you aren’t sleeping so weight gain occurs
- Strengthens your heart
- Better mood
- Increases productivity
- Lack of sleep is dangerous, people get into more car accidents and other accidents when they aren’t getting enough sleep
- Increase exercise performance
- Improves the memory
I wrote above that having good sleep hygiene is vital for getting a good nights sleep. I practice a few of these suggestions. I have a sleep routine, including a pre-sleep one. This helps a lot.
Suggestions For Good Sleep Hygiene:
- Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and nicotene 4 hours before bed
- Turn bedroom into a sleep inducing environment by making it quiet, dark, and cool like a cave
- Establish a pre sleep routine
- Go to sleep when you are truly tired
- Don’t stare at the clock while trying to fall asleep
- Use light to your advantage, spend time in the sunlight daily. This helps your body know when it is dark that it is time for sleep.
- Have a consistent sleep schedule
- Nap early or not at all
- Eat light for the evening meal
- Balance fluid intake
- Exercise early and not before bedtime
There are some great sleep aids, but talk to your doctor before taking any because some of them affect your heart and breathing. This is important especially if you have a chronic illness. If you want to get more exercise and do exercises that promote sleep then Karen Clemenson is a great trainer for you. She works with those with chronic illnesses.
Here are some links I would like to share with you:
- The Benefits of Getting a Full Night’s Sleep by Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth Health Staff
- National Sleep Foundation: https://www.sleepfoundation.org
- Sleep and Chronic Illness by WebMD Staff
- Sleep and Sleep Disorders by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Staff
- The State of Sleep Health in America by American Sleep Apnea Association Staff
- Twelve Simple Tips to Improve Your Sleep by Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School Staff
- What Happens to Your Body When You Don’t Get Enough Sleep by Cleveland Clinic Staff
- World Sleep Day is Mary 13, 2020 by World Sleep Society Staff
- Related Articles
Jamie Holloway lives in the Portland, Oregon area. Since October 2011 she has been sharing her Journey Toward Health and Wellness with Vasculitis through her blog at JamieChasesButterflies.com. As most of her articles will be about Men’s Health, Jamie intends to write her articles as though she was sharing important information with her brother, nephews and friends. We hope you are as inspired as we are with the raw candor Jamie uses in her writing. If you would like to help support Jamie’s writing efforts please Donate now.
