Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. Who wouldn’t want those three things? The importance of sleep is glossed over by medical doctors who rarely ask the question of how many hours you’re getting. The reality is that sleep is critical to health. An estimated 60 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders or deprivation.

Sleep is the time when our body repairs from the mental and physical stress of the day. Hormones are secreted, lipids are formed, and proteins are synthesized during the bedtime hours.

Recently, a study reported there are over 2000 genes that work differently whether we are awake or asleep.⁽¹⁾ From a heart standpoint, sufficient sleep reduced the risk of a cardiovascular related death by almost 50% compared with insufficient sleep.⁽²⁾

Poor sleep has also been associated with:

1) High blood pressure.⁽³⁾

2) Inflammation. Markers such as CRP and interleukins are elevated.⁽⁴⁾

3) Obesity.⁽⁵⁾

4) Alzheimer’s.⁽⁶⁾

5) Decreased immune system function.⁽⁷⁾

6) Increased heart attacks.  In fact, just the altered sleep from Daylight Savings increases heart attack risk.⁽⁸⁾

7) Anxiety and irritability.

8) Diabetes

So here is the action plan to get better sleep:

1. Go to sleep with the sundown and wake with the sunrise. Edison invented electricity a little over 100 years ago. Our bodies are not ready for it.
2. Get all the electronics out of your bedroom. Cell phones, cordless phones, Wi-Fi, and computers produce electromagnetic fields. Pay attention to electronics on the other side of the headboard wall.
3. Do not watch TV in bed at night. Read a book or magazine.
4. Sleep in a cave. Turn off all lights and invest in good window coverings.
5. Keep it cool. Most people find it difficult to sleep at extremes of too hot or cold.
6. Lose weight. Obese people are more prone to sleep apnea, a condition associated with cardiovascular and mental problems.
7. Get rid of the alarm clock. The alarm is a stressful sound that, in my opinion, has to be a cause of morning heart attacks.
8. Get an organic mattress. That foam mattress you bought is loaded with chemicals, flame retardants, and pesticides. Check out Lifekind.com.
9. Use natural laundry detergents. Don’t use toxic products. Instead buy Seventh Generation or Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds.
10. Do not take pharmaceutical sleep aids. Studies show an increased risk of heart attacks, aortic dissection, and cancer.⁽⁹⁾
11. Shower at night. This helps to relax your body and your mind.
12. Avoid caffeine. Caffeine can last in your system for up to 48 hours.
13. Avoid sugar. Major stimulant. Get rid of the ice cream before bed.
14. Deep breathing techniques. Check out the free app from Saagara. My patients love it.
15. Exercise. Many studies confirm exercise improves sleep. Just don’t do it too close to bedtime.⁽¹⁰⁾
16. Yoga. The benefits of yoga just keep lunging in.⁽¹¹⁾
17. Pilates. The same benefits as yoga.⁽¹²⁾
18. Just say no to alcohol. Major inhibitor of quality sleep (unless you are extremely drunk).
19. Sleep alone. If your partner snores or tosses and turns all night, something has to give, likely your health.
20. Natural supplements. See my list of 10 natural supplements to help you sleep.