How You Can Get More Sleep Tonight

Sleep is more important now than ever.  Unfortunately, due to the current situation in the world, many of us are spending our nights tossing and turning.  We need sleep more than we might realize, especially when our lives have been disrupted.  Let's talk about why sleep is important and how you can get enough sleep to stay healthy.

Why is sleep important?

Getting 7-8 hours of sleep at night helps to keep our immune system working well by supporting the release of proteins that help the immune system respond quickly to foreign substances.

Getting only 4-6 hours of sleep on a regular basis causes your body to develop higher levels of stress hormones, which can lead to higher blood pressure, lower immune response, and other health issues.

Getting less than adequate sleep is associated with cognitive problems such as poor memory, lower reaction times, and mental confusion.

Getting less sleep is also associated with hormonal changes that lead to weight gain.  We all want to avoid that!

Here are some things that you can do to help you get a good night's sleep.

Create a sleep schedule and stick to it.

When you are not going to work, or working from home, it is easy to let schedules go by the wayside.  You need to know that keeping a schedule is vital to your health.  The more consistent bedtime and wake-up time you have, the more consistently your body functions, including your immune system.  It is also true that the more consistent sleep schedule you have, the better quality sleep you are able to get.   If you are not going in to the office, this may be the perfect time to get a little more sleep!

Set an alarm not only for waking up in the morning, but also for getting to bed at night.  Don't just set the alarm, but use it as you should.  

If you do not sleep well at night, it is ok to take a short nap midday.  Just don't let a nap wreck your nighttime sleep schedule.  Make your nap short, 15-30 minutes, and do not nap after 3 pm.

Set the stage in your bedroom for quality sleep.  Here are some things that might help:

• Darkness – Use heavy curtains to block light from outside, cover lights on electronics that are in the room, or use a sleep mask to block light from both inside and outside.  

• Quiet – Use a fan or white noise machine to block background noise that is not in your control.

• Temperature – Most people don't sleep well when the room is too hot or too cold, but you may prefer a cold room with more covers, or a slightly warmer room with fewer covers.  Find the ideal temperature for you. 

Set a bedtime curfew for all electronics and stick to it.

Ideally, you should have 60-90 minutes before bedtime without electronics.  This includes TV, smart phones, computers, etc.  Being more isolated, as we all are these days, does make it more important to stay connected electronically.  Just don't use those devices before bedtime.  Turn on the "Do not disturb" feature on your phone for the hours that you set aside for sleep.  

This time without electronics can help your sleep in multiple ways.

• You need less direct light, especially less blue light, hitting your eyes in the evening to help trigger your body to produce melatonin.  Your own melatonin works best to help promote sleep.

• Getting onto your social media account, or watching the news or an exciting TV show engages your brain in a way that can inhibit your sleep.  If you really feel like you need to watch a TV show, make it something very relaxing and comforting, turn the volume down low, and lower all of the other lighting in the room.  Never leave the TV on while you sleep.

Don't read the news right before bed.

This includes electronic news, but also traditional newspapers as well.  Get your coronavirus news once a day, early in the day.  The news can increase your anxiety level, which is not good for sleep.

Get some exercise every day.

It may be harder to do your usual exercise routine right now, but there are ways that you can move your body and raise your heart rate every day.  Here's why it's important.

• Exercise during the day helps drive our sleep at night.  Just don't do it too late in the evening.  

• Exercise also helps to improve the chemical balance in our brains, helping us to ward off depression and anxiety.  

• Knowing that exercise has improved your immune function might help you sleep better at night.

Practice some relaxation before bed.

• Try the breathing exercises I mentioned in last week's Health Tip.  

• Consider meditation or progressive relaxation before bed, or as part of your falling asleep routine.  

• Take a hot bath or shower about 90 minutes before bedtime.   This is not only a form of relaxation, but the process of getting really warm, then slowly cooling down is another way to trigger your body to produce melatonin.  You might want to use the bath or shower as the start of your electronics curfew.

Be careful of what you eat and drink.

• Avoid caffeine too close to bedtime.  

• Don't eat right before bed.  Heartburn or indigestion is more likely if you lie down with a full stomach, and that can interfere with your sleep.  

• Avoid excessive alcohol in the evening.  While alcohol might make you sleepy initially, too much can cause fragmented sleep, which results in less sleep overall, and poor quality sleep.

Wash your sheets.

Who doesn't love the feel of fresh, clean sheets on the bed?  I know that helps me sleep better.

If you have any questions about getting more sleep, please log into your account and send us your question. We are here to help.

Dr. Anita Bennett MD - Health Tip Content Editor

Tips for Stress Management

I think most people are feeling a little stressed lately.  There are a few very practical things that you can do to stay calm when the world around you seems to be spinning out of control.
  

Here are some things that you can do to help you manage your stress.   

Breathe -
 

Controlled breathing can help to physiologically control your stress.  This is one part of your body over which you have significant control.  Take slow, even, deep breaths - 7 seconds in, hold for 1 second, then 7 seconds out.  Use your watch to time yourself.

Why does this work?  When you control your breathing at a slow pace, you actually slow the circulation of blood flowing through your lungs.  Slowing the circulation through your lungs will slow your overall circulation, leading to a slower heart rate.  Slowing your heart rate can help to make you feel more calm, and can help slow the racing thoughts in your brain.

Be Mindful -
 

When you have a lot going on, and your mind is thinking of all of the worst case scenarios, racing thoughts can take control and get away from you.  Make yourself stop and focus on being exactly where you are for just one or two minutes.  Do this by taking the time to notice:

• 5 things that you can see
• 4 things that you can feel
• 3 things that you can hear
• 2 things that you can smell
• 1 thing that you can taste

You may not be able to notice all of these things, but the idea is to reach out with your senses and notice the things around you.  Maybe you will notice how intense the lights are in the room, or the pressure of your body in the chair, or maybe the sound of a bird outside your window.  Be right here, right now.  Avoid going backward or forward in your mind.  Just be in the moment, in the exact place that you are.
  

Find a Good Distraction -
 

You don't want to be distracted all of the time, but when things seem overwhelming, it can be helpful to distract yourself for a bit.  It can protect your brain, lower your blood pressure, and give you a chance to live outside of the stress for a little while.  Give yourself permission to have a time out.  Watch a funny TV show, or read an engrossing story, or maybe try Duolingo to learn a new language!

Try to Keep Things in Perspective -
 

As bad as things might feel right now, they are likely to get better with time.  Take the time to think about the things that are good right now.  For instance, maybe you are getting to spend more time with your family than usual. 

Things Over Which You Can Have Control, Take Control -

• Try to get enough sleep.  This can definitely improve your stress level.
• Try to eat regularly and in a healthy way.  Try to avoid emotional eating and avoid eating a lot of junk foods.  This can be hard as we all tend to crave junk foods when we are stressed!
• Try to get some exercise on a daily basis.  Even if you are not able to do your usual exercise routine because you can't go to the gym, there are ways that you can exercise at home.  Maybe go for a walk a couple of times a day, even if it is just in your backyard, or around the inside of the house.  Do some jumping jacks or turn on some music and dance.  Maybe you could have a dance party with the kids, and you could all use up some energy!
• Try to get some time outdoors every day if you can.  Even though you may be stuck at home, most of us can get outside without being exposed to others.  If you are not able to get outside, try to get curtains open in every room to get plenty of light in the house.  Sun exposure can improve your mood.  
• Keep your living space clean; not just sanitized, but organized.  Organizing the space around you can give you a significant sense of control.

If you have any questions about managing stress, please log into your account and send us your question. We are here to help.

Dr. Anita Bennett MD - Health Tip Content Editor

How to Boost Your Immune System

If you are like most people, you have probably been wondering if there is a way to boost your immune function to protect you against infection.  Unfortunately, there is also plenty of misinformation that can make it challenging to know what to do.  Let's talk about what you can do to strengthen your immune function.

Your immune system is a complex system that includes different types of cells, tissues, and organs that all work together in a complicated pathway.  Healthy immune function is dependent on many factors.  Those factors include your genetic make-up, the germs that you have been exposed to over your lifetime, and your lifestyle.  Lifestyle factors that impact your immune function include:

• Stress level
• Sleep pattern
• Dietary factors
•  Exercise

Here are some things that you can do to strengthen your immune system:
 

Exercise - We have talked about this in previous Health Tips, but it is worth repeating.  Depending on your level of exercise, it can be good or bad for your immune function.

• Maintaining a regular exercise routine, which consists of at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day, has been shown to improve your immune response and lead to significantly fewer respiratory infections.
• Excessive exercise, such as participating in high-intensity workouts for more than 90 minutes at a time on a regular basis, has been shown to be associated with significantly more respiratory infections than occur in people who perform moderate exercise.

Stress - Your immune system works better at fighting illness when your body is not under stress.  Several studies back this up.  In one series of studies from Carnegie Mellon University, people were given nose drops containing a cold virus.  The people who reported less stress in their lives were significantly less likely to develop cold symptoms even though they were exposed to the same amount of cold virus.

Worrying about the coronavirus, or the stock market doesn't help your stress level!  Learning techniques to help manage your stress can help your immune system to function better.  This would include things like meditation, controlled breathing exercises, or talking with a therapist.

Sleep - Improving your sleep habits is a good way to strengthen your immune system.  You should try to sleep 7-8 hours per night.  Try to get into a regular routine, with your bedtime and wake time not varying more than about 30-45 minutes each day.  Avoid excessive lighting in the evening, especially screen time late in the evening.  You need the dim light to trigger your natural melatonin release to help you get a better night's sleep.
 

Dietary factors - Several dietary factors can affect your immune function.

• Vitamin D - There is promising research to suggest that maintaining a normal vitamin D level could help your body fight off respiratory infections.  You might talk with your doctor about checking your vitamin D level, and taking vitamin D supplements if it is low.  There are no clinical recommendations for taking vitamin D supplements for immune function if you have a normal vitamin D level.
• Avoid excessive alcohol consumption - There have been many studies that show a link between excessive alcohol consumption and immune function.  Research indicates that people who drink alcohol in excess are more susceptible to respiratory infections and that they recover from infections and wounds more slowly.  There are several ways that excessive alcohol can decrease immune function.  This is true for binge drinking as well as chronic, daily excessive alcohol use.
• Maintain a balanced diet - A healthy, balanced diet, with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole grains, with low levels of simple sugars, can improve the health of the microbiome of your gut.  You may be surprised to know that your gut microbiome has a huge effect on your immune function. 
• Don't waste your money on unproven supplements - Despite many claims to the contrary, there is no single food or natural remedy that has been proven to improve immune function.  You can read various claims about the immune-boosting properties of a number of foods, spices, and supplements, including ginger, turmeric, oregano oil, bone broth, zinc, and more.  According to Dr. Krystina Woods, hospital epidemiologist and medical director of infection prevention at Mount Sinai West, "There are people who anecdotally say 'I felt great after I took whatever.'  That may be true, but there's no science to support that."  There is no harm in eating foods that are touted as immune boosters as part of your balanced diet, especially if you enjoy them, but don't rely on supplements that are unproven instead of a balanced, healthy diet.

If you have any questions about boosting your immune system, please log into your account and send us your question. We are here to help.  And don't forget to keep up the handwashing, trying not to touch your face, and avoiding close contact with people who are sick.

Dr. Anita Bennett MD - Health Tip Content Editor