CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — When your sleep health is in check, there are several benefits you'll feel, ranging from increased energy, increased ability to concentrate, a stronger immune system and much more.
On the other hand, when your sleep health is poor, there can be far more serious side effects besides just grogginess or irritability.
“Sleep is a huge area of concern, over 50 million Americans have chronic sleep disorders,” said Dr. John Lusins, Medical Director of Behavioral Health Services & President of the Medical Staff at Corpus Christi Medical Center.
Dr. Lusins says there are a few different reasons folks may struggle with sleep, from seasonal changes (springing forward, falling back), daily stressors in our work and relationships, diet, and also the very thing that connects so many of us: our phones.
“It’s really hard to just stop and put it down. There’s always one more email, one more Facebook feed to read through, an Instagram meme to laugh at and share,” said Dr. Lusins.
Dr. Lusins shared that since the COVID-19 pandemic, he’s had more people reach out to him about their sleep habits and wanting to learn more about how to better improve their sleep health.
“Covid brought out a lot of mental illness that was kinda hidden to begin with and sleep goes along with that.”
Two other things he says folks may be letting get in the way of their sleep: abusing caffeine and reliance on mood-boosters and energy drinks. It's these efforts to help them stay awake during the day that often hurt them at night.
Also, a lot of folks take melatonin to help them achieve better sleep, and for that, we've got some good news!
"Out of all these sleep aides, melatonin is the natural alternative that we'd recommend."
But as with anything, even melatonin comes with a few do's and dont's. According to Dr. Lusins:
- Make sure that the melatonin you're taking is FDA approved
- Be mindful of when you're taking it. For example: if you need to wake up in 4 hours for a flight, that's a little too late for it to actually help you out.
- Keep in mind, even for some adults 10 mg can be pretty strong, and lead to 'hangover effects' when waking up, or cause grogginess.
- DO NOT take medications, for fever or pain, with 'PM' labels as a form of a sleep aide; it's not safe, and can even become habit-forming.
So, what are some things you can be doing to better your sleep health?
Here's what Dr. Lusins recommends:
- Try some simple and light stretches before bed to relieve tension in your body.
- Avoid eating a large meal before bed.
- Shut off those screens! At least an hour or two before bed. Try a book instead!
"Read a book so that you’re not getting the light shining into your eyes either from the television or else from your phone," Dr. Lusins advised.
And when you wake up:
- Take it gradually, allow natural sunlight to help wake up all the sensors in your brain.
- As tempting as it is, don't go straight for the coffee! Instead, drink water first.
As with most things, a little bit goes a long way when it comes to making a change for better sleep health.
If you believe you may be struggling with something deeper when it comes to sleep (such as sleep apnea, or insomnia) call your primary provider.
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