March 27- April 2 is National Sleep Awareness Week
® —
NIH OFFERS NEW COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO HEALTHY SLEEP
In today's "24/7" society, many people cut back on sleep
to squeeze in more time for work, family obligations, and other
activities. But skimping on sleep can be harmful. A comprehensive
new handbook from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
(NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) explains that
sleep is not merely “down time” when the brain shuts
off and the body rests.
“Our brains are very active during sleep, and research has
shown that adequate sleep is important to our overall health, safety,
and performance," notes Michael Twery, PhD, acting director
of NHLBI's National Center on Sleep Disorders Research. "Scientists
also have a better understanding of how a chronic lack of sleep
or an untreated sleep disorder can impair health. Like good nutrition
and physical activity, adequate sleep is critical for continued
good health.”
“Your Guide to Healthy Sleep” provides the latest science-based
information about sleep in an easy-to-understand format. The 60-page
handbook describes how and why we sleep, and offers tips for getting
adequate sleep, such as sticking to a sleep schedule, relaxing before going to bed, and using daylight or bright light to help you adjust to jet lag and shift work schedules.
Sleep disorders such as insomnia (trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, or unrefreshing sleep), sleep apnea (brief periods of pauses in breathing or shallow breathing while you are sleeping), restless legs syndrome (an almost irresistible urge to move the legs that can make it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep), and narcolepsy (excessive and overwhelming daytime sleepiness despite adequate nighttime sleep) are also described with information on diagnosis and treatment. In addition, a sample sleep diary helps readers track their sleep-related habits.
Sleep needs vary from person to person, and they change throughout
the lifecycle. Newborns sleep between 16 and 18 hours a day, and
children in preschool sleep between 10 and 12 hours a day. School-aged
children and teens need at least 9 hours of sleep a day. Research
suggests that adults – including seniors -- need at least
7 to 8 hours of sleep each day to be well rested and to perform
at their best.
Studies have linked sleep to our ability to learn, create memories,
and solve problems. Sleep has also been tied to mood. Without enough
sleep, a person has trouble focusing, and responding quickly –
a potentially dangerous combination, such as when driving. In addition,
mounting evidence links a chronic lack of sleep with an increased
risk for developing obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and
infections.
The quality of sleep is also important. How well rested you are
and how well you function the next day depend on your total sleep
time and how much of the various stages of sleep you get each night.
Yet, each year an estimated 70 million adult Americans have some
type of sleep problem.
"Although there are times during the day when we are naturally
likely to feel drowsy, in many cases, sleepiness is a sign that
something is amiss," adds Twery. "The handbook offers
several ideas to help you improve your sleep, but if you feel that
you regularly have problems breathing during sleep, wake up unrefreshed
after a full night's sleep, or frequently feel very sleepy during
the day, you should see your doctor to find out if you could have
a sleep disorder."
“Your Guide to Healthy Sleep” can be downloaded free
at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/sleep/healthy_sleep.htm.
Printed copies are available for $3.50 through the NHLBI website
or from the NHLBI Information Center at P.O. Box 30105, Bethesda,
MD 20824-0105, or at 301-592-8573 or 240-629-3255 (TTY).
To learn more about healthy sleep and sleep disorders:
National Center on Sleep Disorders Research
www.nhlbi.nih.gov/sleep
Sleep, Sleep Disorders, and Biological Rhythms supplemental curriculum
for use in high school biology classes
http://osedev.od.nih.gov/supplements/nih3/sleep/default.htm.
Star Sleeper educational materials for children and their caregivers
http://starsleep.nhlbi.nih.gov.
Note: National Sleep Awareness Week® is a registered trademark
of the National Sleep Foundation.
The National Center on Sleep Disorders Research was established
in 1993 through U.S. congressional legislation authorizing support
for sleep-related research and educational programs, and the coordination
of related activities among the NIH, other federal agencies, and
nongovernmental organizations. NIH annually funds more than $189
million in sleep-related research conducted by researchers in universities
and hospitals in the U.S. and abroad. For more information, visit
www.nhlbi.nih.gov/sleep.
Part of the National Institutes of Health, the National Heart,
Lung, and Blood Institute plans, conducts, and supports research
related to the causes, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of heart,
blood vessel, lung, and blood diseases; and sleep disorders. The
Institute also administers national health education campaigns on
women and heart disease, healthy weight for children, and other
topics. NHLBI press releases and other materials are available online
at: www.nhlbi.nih.gov.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nation's
Medical Research Agency — includes 27 Institutes and
Centers and is a component of the U. S. Department of Health and
Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting
and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research,
and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common
and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs,
visit http://www.nih.gov.
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