Based on conversations with you (my friends), many of us experience bouts of insomnia. I certainly do! Because of that malady, I am very drawn to articles about sleep.
It is a known fact that the average human lives longer than they did 100 years ago. Not surprising at all, recent studies indicate that the general population is sleeping less and less on a nightly basis. The less sleep a person averages, the shorter their life-span and the less able they are to fight off disease. Per Lawrence Epstein, MD, author of The Harvard Medical School Guide to a Good Night’s Sleep, “Sleep has shortened in duration from 8 hours in the 1950’s to 7 in recent years.” The question that I cannot seem to shake is, if we are sleeping less, will our life spans be shortened (as a whole) in generations to come?
Have you ever experienced a couple of sleepless nights that left you feeling as if you could not handle yourself emotionally? One of those days where you know you had better just STAY QUIET ALL DAY, ha! According to Phyllis Zee, MD, of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Biology at Northwestern University in Chicago, when people are sleep deprived the stress hormones in their bodies are increased. And guess what else increases? Inflammation. Remember the achy back, sore knees, and swollen ankles (especially in us middle aged folks) when we are sleep deprived? Ta-da…it is definitely a double edged sword…no sleep…feel worse…feel worse and no sleep.
Another thing that fascinates me, did you know that we still have growth hormones in our bodies when we are between the ages of 20 and 60? The more sleep a person gets, the more rejuvenated they are, and it is related to growth hormones. We do not grow at those ages, but our body does repair itself. The hormones help with muscle mass, better skin, younger looking all the way around. And the number one way to keep the hormones as high as possible is to sleep well!
I am not going to talk about sleep until I am blue in the face, besides, I need a power nap soon! Oh, speaking of power naps…a daily nap, of 30 minutes or so, can increase a person’s life-span by up to 30 years!
By the way, nobody really knows the correct amount of sleep people should get. They say it depends upon genes. Some people need 8 hours, some need 6. The entire thought wraps around one thing, being sleep deprived (whatever that number is), is not healthy.
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all sleep like babies again? A person might wonder, do we have too many electronics in our lives (computers, cell phones, games, televisions)? What about the new compulsion of working around the clock, mixing work and personal life? Many years ago people read at night, by oil lamp or candlestick. Early to bed, early to rise. I wonder if there were many insomniacs back then? Oh well…another topic…another day.
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You are singing my tune… barking up my tree… strumming my pain with your fingers…
I used to be able to sleep upright in a closet, but now? Not so much. My sleep deprivation comes mostly from a snoring husband (who on a good night sounds like a jackhammer and on a bad night sounds like a backhoe inside a cement mixer) and the onset of menopause. My internal thermometer is out of whack, but my ears still work fine. What’s a tired old gal to do? Ear plugs hurt night in and night out, so I’ve resorted to Ambien – which works like a charm, but you can’t take it every night or it won’t. Should I try sleeping on an ice block with a knife to hubby’s throat? Too messy. I guess I’ll just have to acclimate to a noisy bedroom or find a quiet one. And to be honest… I’d rather sleep with a snoring husband than none at all.
Great post as usual Mary. Thanks for your splendid insight.
I agree with you. Sleep is a necessity for a healthy body. And yes, I have my bouts with insomnia. When I know I haven’t had enough sleep during the night, I try to take an afternoon nap.
Boo is finally getting his sleeping schedule back in order after returning to school. I am a stickler on getting enough sleep. And he’s not so happy about that.
Alix, I am in a similar boat. The husband can rock and shake the bed (literally) with his loud snoring. If I can stay asleep the battle is a lot easier!
Becky, a nap is so rejuvinating. I try to go for that too. My biggest issue is shutting the brain down. Making it happen! I try…I try!!! 🙂
I loved learning about why sleep is so important. It is common knowledge that sleep is needed for good health, but growth hormones? Interesting!
Mary, you’re right…. It’s funny to see how things return to the “old ways” around here when there’s a power outage. It’s more peaceful, all the way around. Nice post 🙂
Alix, your post cracked me up!
I know where you’re coming from, LOL especially when it was kidding season around here. 😀
Lynnanne, I think you said something once about going TV-less in your house for a while. I would love it! Speaking of going back to olden times….
LOL, Amy. I am tired just thinking about THAT!!!
Yes, I did… and then they found the broadcast channels… we are still living without cable. And, I’m happy to report, that the kids (age 16 & 14) are in here now, and there’s no TV running!! I did a really stupid thing several years ago, and that was purchase a large screen plasma TV. Wrong thing to do. Had nothing but problems with it, and to top it off, it puts out a lot of heat off the screen… uses lots of energy. That’s one I wish I could take back!
TV has its pros and cons. I cram enough into this head without constant interjection. TV is not reality. When I really want to zone out I will watch (but prefer reading). Geek? You bet! LOL!!!
Love hearing that you put the kids on a TV diet…and they survived. Ha!
I miss the news, mostly. We don’t get the newspaper, so I have to catch everything online, or through the broadcast channels… I miss CNN.