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Health: In Shape

Dream On Is your family getting enough sleep? By Maggie BeidelmanPublished: September, 2007

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HEALTH QUESTION OF THE MONTH: Only 40% of California teens meet minimum daily targets for physical activity, and close to 74% of California youth are unfit, according to the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Stronger bodies, better self-esteem and academic success are tied to fitness. Dream on Is your family getting enough sleep? It’s 9 a.m. I’m dozing off at my desk into my precariously placed cup of coffee, which – I unfortunately just realized – is decaf. And I’m going to tell you that you need more sleep. You’ve heard it before: Americans aren’t getting enough sleep – families in particular. “Families on average are getting about an hour of sleep less than they need each night,” says Dr. Wesley Elon Fleming, the medical director for Sleep Center Orange County. “The most common cause of sleep deprivation is underlying anxiety from either family stressors or work stressors.” We rush around trying to seize the day by putting in extra hours at work and attending every soccer practice possible. But we overlook the fact that in this case, quality equals quantity. The only way we can truly “carpe diem” the way the Romans intended, is to get the right amount of sleep that we need each night. But how much is the right amount? According to the National Sleep Foundation, “most healthy adults need seven to nine hours of sleep a night,” but these numbers vary depending on the person. Some individuals only need six hours of sleep to feel awake and alert throughout the day, whereas others need up to 10. Sleep loss has been found to impair the ability to remember, learn and perform logical reasoning. It can also cause a tendency to be unreasonably irritable with family and friends, as you may have noticed in your sleep-deprived children. The amount of sleep you need each night is not necessarily the amount your teenager or infant needs. In fact, sleep needs vary widely across ages. Preschoolers (3 to 5 years old) need 11-13 hours of sleep, while school-aged children up to age 12 need approximately 10-11 hours of sleep each night. Theresa Collins, director of Camp James in Irvine, said that it’s “very noticeable” when the kids at camp don’t get enough sleep. “One of the first things that our staff will point out when a camper has misbehaved is that the mom says the child didn’t get enough sleep the night before.” Collins also notes that probably 95% of the behavioral problems they have among campers are related to sleep deprivation. “Most of our days are spent with kids who don’t typically act out,” she says, but the lack of sleep inhibits the kids’ ability to listen and get along with others, making them “get frustrated very easily.” According to a study done by Brown Medical School, elementary and middle school students who stay up late – getting eight hours or less of sleep – exhibit more learning and attention problems in the classroom. Dr. Fleming emphasized the need for routine, a proper practice of “sleep hygiene.” Most children learn the bedtime routine of brushing teeth and reading stories before bed, but as they grow up, these routines become forgotten in an effort to fit 25 hours into the day. As for crashing on the weekends to try to catch up on sleep, “that doesn’t work,” he says. Because adolescents are still growing, they need at least 8.5 hours – and on average 9.25 hours – of uninterrupted sleep each night to leave their bodies and minds rejuvenated for the next day. Getting the right amount of sleep also helps regulate levels of the hormones ghrelin and leptin, which tell us when we are feeling hungry or full. When you’re tired, “you crave carbohydrates and sweet foods,” says Fleming. This increases your caloric intake, thus leading to weight gain and other health problems, including an increased risk for diabetes, heart problems and psychiatric conditions, which in turn disrupt your sleep even more. “The most common sleep problems are obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia, and restless leg syndrome,” says Fleming. Sleep apnea, which Fleming described as a sensation associated with interrupted breathing and accompanied by snoring, “is often associated with cardiovascular problems, motor vehicle accidents, depression, weight gain and fatigue.” If you experience sleep problems such as insomnia or excessive sleep for longer than a week, keep a sleep diary for two weeks before consulting a physician. The sleep diary should include: what you did before bedtime, when you went to bed, fell asleep, and woke up, and how many times you woke up throughout the night. Maggie Beidelman is an intern at Churm Media. The National Sleep Foundation recommends the following tips for getting better sleep: > Establish consistent sleep and wake schedules, even on weekends. > Create a regular, relaxing bedtime routine such as soaking in a hot bath or listening to soothing music – begin an hour or more before the time you expect to fall asleep. > Create a sleep-conducive environment that is dark, quiet, comfortable and cool. > Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows. > Use your bedroom only for sleep and sex (keep “sleep stealers” out of the bedroom – avoid watching TV, using a computer or reading in bed). > Finish eating at least 2-3 hours before your regular bedtime. > Exercise regularly during the day or at least a few hours before bedtime. > Avoid caffeine and alcohol products close to bedtime and give up smoking. To determine if you and your family are getting enough sleep, go to sleepfoundation.org and rate your sleepiness on the Epworth sleepiness scale.

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