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3 2 WWW. UNWLA.ORG “НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, ЛИСТОПАД 2017 IMPROVING YOUR ZZZZZZZZZS by Ihor Magun, M.D., F.A.C.P. Insomnia is one of the most common is- sues pa tients mention to their doctors. This is not surprising because a lmost everyone has a sleepless night now and then . B ut when this problem per- s ists, medical intervention and advice are helpful. A few medical notes about insomnia will hel p clar- ify and define insomnia, its causes and impact, and what to do about it. Insomnia can affect everyone, but it has been found that women are more at risk t han men. Moreover, i nsomnia affects individuals over the age of 60 more than it does younger people be - cause sleep becomes less restful as we age. It is a disorder characterized by several symptoms : diffi- culty in falling asleep, frequently awakening dur- ing the night and then experiencing the inability to fall asleep again, awak ing too early in the morning and not feeling well rested . Insomnia can be acute and temporary — last ing less than three months and is usually pro - voked by stress at home or work (or b oth) . Not sur- prisingly, c onditions like anxiety and depression are closely related to acute insomnia. Chronic in- somnia last s for three months or longer, is experi- enced at least three times per week and is caused by medical issues as well as stresses. Medic al is- sues associated with chronic insomnia include painful conditions such as arthritis, sleep apnea (actually stopping to breathe), asthma, acid reflux, obesity , and restless leg syndrome. C ertain medi- cations can also keep you awake — whether they are presc ription or over the counter medications. Caf- feine and too much alcohol can also cause insom- nia. Ironically, a better understanding of in - somnia begins with a better understanding of sleep. Sleep is divided into four stages. Every ninety minutes throughout the night we cycle through two sleep phases: one and two of “light sleep” (non - REM Rapid Eye Movement). This phase is about 60% of our total sleep time. Stage three, also non - REM, is the deepest stage , and it is during this stage that the body releases ho r mones for regeneration of muscle , repairs cell damage , and boosts immunity . As a result, the body’s ener - gy is renewed. The body becomes still ; breathing slows down, blood pressure drop s, and body tem- perature decreases . This stage is only 15% of our tota l sleep cycle . The fourth stage, referred to as the REM stage , is the segment of sleep where the brain is in its restorative phase. Dreams occur dur- ing this phase , which constitutes about 25% of our total sleep cycle . The complete sleep cycle repeats itsel f between four to six times a night, depending on the actual duration of each stage. Knowing about these stages may promote an understanding of the reasoning behind awaken- ing times. Many individuals awaken after about three hours of sleep. This is exactly the time stages one and two of the total sleep cycle are completed , and stage three (deepest sleep) has not yet begun. We awaken and do not reach stage three or four and thus do not get the full benefit of a restful night. Instead, what we get is a second round of s tage one and stage two — stages that are not that restorative and are considered light sleep. So how much sleep do we actually need? An opening answer is that c hildren need more sleep than adults. It has been shown that babies need 12 – 17 hours of sleep, toddlers need 11 – 14 hours of sleep, and school age children need 8 – 11 hours . Adults need 7 – 8 hours of sleep, but many young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 may actually need 10 – 11 hours of sleep . Individual s leep requirements depend on our ind ividual needs. The best barometer of how much sleep we need is our energy level during the day. Achieving the proper and healthful amount of sleep means learning and practicing good sleep hygiene. A list of recommendations follows: • Keep a regular sleep pattern — seven days per week. Try not to take naps as these can make you less sleepy at night. • Make sure your mattress and pillows are suited to your needs. • Avoid stimulants like caffeine, nicotine , and alco- hol in excess. • Do not eat a heavy meal lat e in the evening , but a snack before bedtime is fine. • Avoid using your bed for anything other than sleep or sex. • Make your bedroom comfortable — dark, quiet, and not too warm. • Many people find that using a sleeping mask to cover the eyes is quite he lpful . • Earplugs have also proved useful along with “white noise” that block s out sounds or provide s a sound that makes you sleepy. • Do not exercise just before go ing to sleep as this may disrupt your sleeping stage s .
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