A new study from the CDC sheds some light on how little sleep adults get these days.

As new parents we are living with less sleep right now, but a new study done by the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) shows that 1 in 3 adults are not getting enough sleep on a regular basis, in general. The criteria for enough sleep is at least 7 hours a night, for adults aged 18-60, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Less sleep than the 7 hours seems to be associated with increased risk of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and mental distress. 

There are a lot of things that can be affecting our sleep, and/or inhibiting us from sleeping at night. Melatonin is only produced when it is dark, and often times we are spending the last 30-60 minutes before we go to bed on/with an electrical device that has a bright screen. I have put an app on my phone to limit the blue light as blue light will inhibit the production of melatonin. What would be better is if I just turned off all of my electrical devices and then stretched before I go to sleep. 

Calming the body before bed will help us to sleep better by lowering the cortisol levels. High levels of cortisol at night cause us to have millions of thoughts running through our heads as well as having a wired-tired feeling. We are physically exhausted but the mind is keeping us awake. Lower cortisol levels at night can help to prevent us from waking up in the middle of the night. Often times, if we do wake up in the middle of the night we will be awake for hours because our brains will kick on. I know if I wake up and start thinking about things then I can be up for hours before I go back to sleep. That uninterrupted sleep is what we are looking for.

Here are some healthy tips for a better night sleep:

  • Make your room an inviting place; cool, dark, and peaceful.
  • Avoid electronic or light emitting items before bed. 
  • Maintain a schedule. Going to bed at the same time, nightly of course, as well as waking up at the same time. Also, follow this routine on the weekends. 
  • Avoid caffeine or stimulating drinks before bed. Avoid alcohol as it often times will wake us up in the middle of the night.
  • Stretch and/or meditate before sleeping to calm the system. 

If you’re having trouble with sleep then please feel free to contact me (LINK), or call at 1-415-912-9934. Thank you, and here’s to a better night’s sleep!


Source: CDC

Image Credit: Paul Sapiano (Wikipedia) (CC 2.0 Gen)