Episode #192 Fall Asleep Faster

Seven Problems

• We are not the best versions of ourselves when our sleep is insufficient.
• It is no wonder we often feel like we are dying when we don’t get enough sleep, as that is exactly what happens to the cells in our bodies.
• Inadequate sleep increases the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, heart and kidney disease, cancer, depression, substance use disorders, and suicide.
• If we lose an hour of sleep every night for one week, it could take weeks to repay our seven-hour sleep debt.
• When we ignore the physical dimension of life for our first 40 years, we reduce the likelihood that we will survive another 40 years.
• We are unable to meet our weight loss goals for as long as our sleep is insufficient.
• Insufficient sleep is more common in women, widows, racial minorities, parents of young children, shift workers, unemployment, lower income, increased stress, and chronic medical conditions.

Five Principles

• Sleep is essential to life, as evidenced by the reality that every animal sleeps.
• The way we spend our sleeping hours has significant impacts on our waking hours.
• Sleep is important for restoration, cell regeneration, immunity, learning, and memory.
• Although there is variation in the amount of sleep each individual requires, we must all achieve at least 6 hours per day in order to optimize our health.
• We cannot always control our life circumstances, but we can always make choices that improve the quality and quantity of our sleep.

Seven Practices

• Avoid naps, caffeine, alcohol, cigarettes, and heavy meals in the evenings.
• To the extent possible, wake up and go to sleep at about the same time every day – even during weekends or vacations.
• Keep a sleep diary to determine the optimal amount of sleep that your body requires.
• Talk to your doctor about sleep apnea testing if you snore loudly, feel fatigued throughout the day, or are told that you stop breathing when you sleep.
• Pursue treatment for depression or anxiety, sleepiness despite sufficient sleep duration, frequent overnight urination, and nighttime pain or discomfort.
• When struggling to fall asleep, get out of bed and do a quiet activity in a dimly lit room until you feel sleepier.
• Increase exposure to light in the mornings, and reduce exposure to light (and especially screens) in the evenings.