Sleep

Sleep is the 3rd Pillar of a Healthy Lifestyle

It is not just the duration of our sleep, but also the quality that is equally important. The timing of the sleep with respect to the circadian rhythm also helps determine health and disease.

We need to get adequate hours of sleep and also optimum quality of sleep. One should feel refreshed on waking up. The sleep timing should be in sync with the external clock. This means that we need to sleep as the day ends and need to wake close to sunrise.

Circadian rhythm plays an important role in sleep physiology. Our body functions as per its internal clock and it has to match the external clock of daylight and nighttime. This promotes good health.

If there is a mis-match between these due to travel and changing time zones, this is called “Jet Lag”.

But if this happens due to the social life of the individual, this is called “social jet lag”. Most of us are suffering from social jet lag. We do not follow the circadian rhythm owing to work pressures or socializing for recreation. We either work hard or play hard. But we end up compromising our sleep at the expense of our health. It is important to be aware about the importance of sleep in maintaining our health and living a full disease free life.

A few simple steps to have a good sleep routine:

1. Have an early dinner. Keep a gap of at least 2 hours between food and sleep.
2. Shut down electronic gadgets and screens at least 2 hours before sleep time.
3. Follow a night ritual which calms your mind and prepares your body and mind for sleep.
4. Sleep at a reasonably fixed time daily and wake up at a fixed time, irrespective of weekdays and weekends. Too much variation in sleep patterns based on weekday or weekend is also known to have an adverse effect on health and productivity.
5. Regular physical activity helps promote good sleep.
6. Regular stress management strategies are also helpful for a good sleep.
7. Healthy eating pattern is helpful for optimal sleep quality.

Why is good sleep important?

1. The body regenerates from daily wear and tear during sleep.
2. Poor sleep quality can cause impaired DNA repair and can increase risk of certain cancers.
3. Poor sleep also increases risk of cardiovascular diseases.
4. In children, Growth Hormone is released at night and a good sleep quality and duration is helpful for optimal growth.
5. Poor sleep is also linked with impaired immunity making the person prone to infections.
6. Poor sleep also reduces productivity at work.
7. Poor sleep affects relationships both at work and at home as it impairs understanding of social cues.

Hopefully by now you are convinced that focusing on sleep will help improve our health. Let us give this pillar of health its due importance and work towards better sleeping schedules for all.