Sleigh Bells Ring, Are You Sleeping?

Photo: Ryan Johnson

If you don't feel as refreshed as you'd like to be after the long Thanksgiving weekend, you're not alone. And that slight exhaustion you feel now is bound to get worse as we move farther through the holiday season. The reason? Try overeating, drinking, and lack of sleep. An article published by the Associated Press reminded me of exactly that this past weekend, and it's something to keep in mind if you want to start 2008 with a bang.

Face it: we work really hard in anticipation of enjoying a "relaxing" holiday break come December - plus all those parties leading up to (hopefully) a few days off. But when you think about it, we're doing what wears us down the most this time of year: working late to get more done, shopping early on weekends because many stores open before sunrise, eating copious sweets, sugary and heavy foods at buffet tables, and drinking more alcohol than usual. Add to that the traveling many of us do to catch up with family and friends (often late into the night), and you've got a recipe for chronic overtiredness. It pretty much starts the day you ate the leftovers from Thanksgiving.

The holidays are most definitely a time of celebration, but they certainly aren't a time of renewal. Which is why so many of us feel we need a vacation from the vacation come January 2nd. This can also be a stressful time period for some people, another reason behind the overeating and nightly tossing and turning. So imagine celebrating and getting the renewal we all need at the same time? Is this possible? A far cry? Well, I happen to think it is possible, but it does require attention to one big detail.

To get the best of both worlds, the key is to do your best to get a good night's sleep. Focus on powering down one hour before bedtime. Avoid phones, computers (ahem, this includes cybershopping), stimulating television, gift wrapping, house cleaning, and eating and drinking during this sacred hour. Do something truly relaxing such as taking a warm bath and then settling into bed with a book or magazine.

Achieving high-quality sleep will act as a common denominator for allowing you to enjoy the holidays maximally while also minimizing their potential negative side effects. It will help you control your eating better because high-quality sleep is proven to factor into the regulation of your appetite hormones. In fact, numerous studies have come out in just the last five years that show sleep’s positive effects on weight control and your metabolism. Sleep more, weigh less. It doesn't get much better than that. Don't forget the extra sleep will rev your energy bank and allow you to spread good cheer. It will naturally rejuvenate your body on a cellular level, too, making you look and feel vibrant, which in turn lifts moods and spirits.

Because none of us wants to be called a Scrooge. And no one wants to welcome 2008 with an extra ten pounds packed around our waist.

For more tips and ideas on how to sleep soundly and reap all the benefits that a good night's sleep can give you, check out my book Beauty Sleep.

Related Topics:

• Better Sleep...Naturally
• The Link Between Sleep and Weight

Technorati Tags: sleep, holidays, health and wellness

Body After Baby: Get Your Zs!

Did you catch that? It's not news to me, but Reuters is reporting (and reminding many of us already in the know) that new moms should pay more attention to their sleep habits if they are to watch those extra pounds slip away. Harvard Medical School has presented research showing that women who sleep five hours or less a day when their babies are six months old are three times more likely than more rested mothers to have kept the extra weight on at the one-year mark.

Full disclosure: I'm not a woman and can't imagine what it's like to 1) be pregnant, and 2) lose that baby fat. But I am keenly aware of the frustrations that many women go through as they juggle motherhood and post-natal weight issues.

One of the rumors that frequently travels in women's circles is the notion that if you don't lose the extra weight from pregnancy within a year of giving birth, you're doomed to keep it forever (or at least have serious trouble getting rid of it). I don't think that's backed by science, but I bet there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to show for it. Wouldn't it be great if you could literally sleep those pounds off (and forget about focusing so much on changing your diet and doing more exercise)?

The caveat, of course, is finding the time to get those precious Zs with a new infant in your life. But here's something else to think about: because we know that obesity and weight gain go hand in hand with sleep deprivation, the better anyone sleeps, the more likely one is to lose weight and keep it off. This is true whether you're a lactating mother or a doting father. So start negotiating with your husband or significant other. Share with him this "news" about sleep being a secret path to ideal weight (which is also something to think about this holiday weekend as you stuff yourself with food and likely have extra time to sneak in a few more hours of sleep). Maybe you can find ways to co-parent more evenly and give each other a helping hand when sleep is at stake.

Or is that totally unrealistic?

Related Topics:

• For Savvy Weight Loss: Know Thyself
• Sleep More, Weigh Less

Technorati Tags: pregnancy, childbirth, weight loss, sleep, Sleep Doctor

Got Teens Playing into the Wii Hours of the Morning?

It's quite literally (at least digitally) a whole new ball game out there. When I was in high school, we had just started playing with Internet, cell phones had just reduced in size from a full brick to about a 1/2 of a brick, and cable TV was the hottest thing since sliced bread. Nowadays youth culture marinates in electronics, social media networks, and fast-moving communication channels. The old joke about walking and chewing gum at the same time has met its modern rival with people multitasking like never before. Try driving, text-messaging, eating, and talking to live passengers all at the same time. Or walking, texting, talking, and chewing gum. Old folks (those over the age of about 45) just don't understand it. But ask anyone under the age of 30 how it's all possible and they'll likely shoot you a look that says, "What do you mean?"

Then ask them how well they sleep at night.

Last week Reuters reported on a new study that points to the "negative influence of excessive media consumption on children's sleep, health, and performance." The study was written up in the journal Pediatrics this month, and it focused solely on teen boys who play interactive (i.e., racing) computer games after finishing their homework. When it came time to sleep, it took longer for them to fall asleep, and they spent less time in that slow-wave deep sleep that's critical to feeling refreshed the next day and ready to learn new skills (it's also important for consolidating memory).

Okay, now is this shocking news to anyone? Probably not. Any stimulating activity before bedtime can send sound sleep packing. And I doubt our bodies will adapt--evolutionarily-speaking--to our current lifestyles fast enough to rectify this problem. In other words, we may choose to stay up late and cut back on sleep, but that doesn't mean our bodies won't suffer or suddenly find ways to cope effectively with less sleep. So I think we'll see more sleep-deprived people in the future as we continue to test our physical limits and do everything possible to keep busy 25/8 (not 24/7).

Will there be a breaking point, though? Will all this poor sleep impair memory to the extent it affects innovation (and the next generation of uber-stimulating gadgets)?

Nah, I doubt that, too. But when Johnnie or Suzie start to suffer in school, maybe there's something to be said for putting a curfew on that video gaming system. And cell phone. And computer. And…

Related Topics:

• Sleep Deprivation Stirs Up Emotions
• The Toll of Sleep Loss in America

Technorati Tags: teens, video games, sleep, parenting, gadgets, insomnia

Statins Linked to Nightmares and Insomnia

It was only a matter of time. A few years ago, statins were hailed as the miracle drugs of the decade - helping people to lower their cholesterol effectively and reduce their risk for heart attacks and cardiovascular disease. Statins are bestselling drugs globally, accounting for more than $14 billion in sales in the United States alone. Some doctors have suggested that more prescribed statins can help save millions more each year.

But the noise on the other side of the table is growing louder and gaining momentum as a handful of experts ponder the financial, physical, and ethical implications of relying on statins to, quite literally, fund a fatty lifestyle. Is it okay to have your cake and eat it too so long as you pop a super pill?

But now there's even more fuel to the debate. Last week I read an article online pointing to new research from the American Heart Association detailing side effects previously unidentified. Turns out some statins - particularly the kind that get absorbed into the brain - can mess with sleep and provoke nightmares and insomnia. These statins include Zocor, Lipitor, Mevacor, and Vytorin. People on Pravachol and Crestor, which do not get into the brain so easily, seem to avoid the troubled sleep.

Two items to note about this finding. One is, how many people on these medications experience restless sleep but never think to link it to their meds? (Not to mention the fact their doctors are likely not asking them about sleep. Cardiologists are more concerned about a statin's effect on the liver than on sleep.)

And second, how many statin addicts continue to eat poorly and keep extra weight on? Scores of studies have linked poor sleep habits to becoming overweight and more prone to health problems including obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. But now that one of our most trusted treatments for high cholesterol is pegged with a new warning sign, we are left wondering exactly which comes first in the proverbial chicken-egg enigma: Can statins trigger poor sleep, which then sets the stage for gaining weight, becoming obese, perhaps dealing with sleep apnea on top of all that weight, and a higher risk for heart troubles?

In other words, can statins ultimately have the opposite effect from what they are intended to do by virtue of this cascade?

Granted, statins do have a powerful effect on many and they may be the best solution for those stuck with genetics that call for high cholesterol. But one has to wonder the ultimate cost of these drugs on people. Every year we seem to add one more side effect to the list. If you can control cholesterol relatively well through your lifestyle (i.e., diet and exercise), eat your Cheerios and oatmeal and practice good sleep habits, you stand to gain more than a happy heart. I bet you'd welcome a flurry of positive outcomes, the least of which is no longer needing any medication.

Which leads me to believe that some day we'll see cardiologists prescribing sleep as a partnering remedy for high cholesterol alongside diet and exercise. How dreamy is that?

Related Topics:

• Cholesterol Drug May Affect Sleep
• Sleep Apnea Device May Help Save Heart

Technorati Tags: statins, Zocor, sleep, health and wellness

Moody Blues Have Meaning

It doesn't take a genius to know that being tired makes us cranky, grumpy, and emotional - not the person your spouse or co-worker wants to deal with today. Blame your foul mood on a lack of sleep first, and the brain second. At last we think we can explain why this is so. Sleep Review journal now reports a study just published in Current Biology that explains how sleep deprivation activates the place in our brains that controls mood.

It's called the amygdala - a group of neurons located deep within a lobe of the brain that helps process emotional reactions. When these nerves get excited (i.e., over-active), which is what happened when sleep-deprived people were shown "aversive" pictures in the study, sleepy people get emotional easily. Those in the study, for instance, were more prone to responding strongly (ahem: moodily) instead of just shrugging off the negative image.

Okay, so now you're wondering what this really means and why it's important to understand the real connection between drowsiness and moodiness. This relationship may help us better understand mood disorders, including bipolar disorder - especially as they relate with sleep disruption. There's still quite a big mystery shrouding mood disorders and how, for example, sleep loss can impact how we behave, act, and even make decisions. This could shed light on evaluating people in unique jobs like doctors, pilots, and the military who act hostile or who make bad decisions. Could a focus on their sleep habits help treat or change them for the better? Can we learn more about bipolar disorder, which remains a very difficult illness to address, if we throw sleep studies into the mix?

Most of us have had the pleasure of encountering someone emotionally irrational. You know the type - the one who is hyper-sensitive and easily razzed up or angered. But how many of us have thought about how well (or not) that person sleeps at night?

Something to think about.

Related Topics:

• Daily Routine May Help Bipolar Disorder
• Sleep Deprivation Blurs Moral Judgment

Technorati Tags: sleep, mood, mental health, bipolar, emotions

Daylight Savings Time: How Are You Feeling?

How many of us woke up Monday morning this week an hour earlier than the actual time because our bodies were still on Daylight Savings Time? Millions, probably.

And how many of us rejoiced when we realized we had another hour to sleep because we needed it? Millions more, probably.

As it turns out, we're not good at adjusting to the time change naturally. Daylight savings time, which affects a quarter of the world's population and entails a one-hour time change twice a year, reflects a change in social clocks--not biological ones. New studies are showing that we don't actually adjust to these changes in time so easily--especially the "spring-forward" one.

A recent European study in particular that I read about in National Sleep Foundation's Newsletter explains how people typically don't have trouble adjusting to the "fall back" we just experienced (we welcome that extra hour!), but forcing daylight savings time period between April and November prevents us from naturally adjusting to dawn during the summer and then again in autumn. Daylight savings time essentially disrupts our body's natural tracking of dawn, throwing us out of synch with the environment. The lead scientist on the study suggests this could have long-term ill effects on health. And I agree.

First, let me remind you that our internal body clocks--our circadian rhythms--are very important to us. Circadian rhythms are the patterns of repeated activity associated with the environmental cycles of day and night. They repeat roughly every 24 hours. Examples include the sleep-wake cycle, the ebb and flow of hormones, the rise and fall of body temperature, and other subtle rhythms that mesh with the 24-hour solar day. People who have trouble achieving good sleep may have an internal clock that has become out of sync or mismatched with the day-night cycle. Light has a powerful effect on setting our body clocks, which is why it's important to soak in some bright morning sunlight; it will calibrate your internal clock. In fact, if you're well rested and your circadian rhythm is on cue (i.e., it's working with your schedule) you should not even need an alarm clock to get up in the morning.

But so much of our lives now depend on unnatural signals--odd work schedules that have us working late at night or doing shift work, pre-dawn wake-up calls, drugs to keep us either asleep or awake, and soon. Unlike our caveman forbears, who let the sun dictate their day-night cycles and delineate between the hours of rest and work, we let the demands of everyday life choose when we can sleep, eat, and work. And all of this indeed has an effect on our bodies. We bear more stress, bank less sleep, pack away more fat and calories, and dare I say, deflate a high quality of life. These in turn directly relate to our risk for illness and disease. The good news is we've just gained an extra hour now that we're back on standard time. We're entering a period when the sun will go down earlier and rise when most of us need to bet getting up anyhow. This (hopefully) will encourage us to avoid working past nightfall, which can help us to wind down a bit earlier at night and prepare for a restful night's sleep.

Take note this week how you are feeling now that you've gained that delicious hour. Are you more productive? In a better mood? Hoping for another night with an extra hour? If that's the case, then make it a goal this coming month to get the sleep your body needs each and every night. Come New Year's you'll feel like a whole new person (and may even shed a few pounds along the way). If you're having difficulty adjusting to the recent time change, you can gradually move your bedtime and wake times later by 15 minutes every one to two days. This can help you stay awake at night or sleep until your desired wake up time.

Come April, you'll lose that hour again. But you can prepare for that loss just by establishing good sleep habits today. Your body clock will thank you for it.

Related Topics:

• WebMD Video: How Your Body Clock Affects Your Health
• How to Stop a Snoring Man

Technorati Tags: daylight savings time, sleep, body clock, circadian rhythm, Sleep Doctor

Teens, Sleep and School: Should class start later?

What If Your Kid's First Bell Rang Close to Lunchtime?

If I could go back in time and be a high school student again (let me re-phrase that: if I had to go back and do it all over again), I'd like to attend one of the schools in Toronto where kids can start classes as late as 11:30 a.m.Finally, we are seeing changes happen in school systems to support students' natural rhythms that prefer later nights and even later mornings. It hasn't happened yet, but I read an article online reporting that next year one high school in this Canadian city will be chosen for allowing its students to sleep in-big time. In the United States, school districts in 19 states have implemented later start times, but I don't think any push it out to as late as 11:30! For adults, that sounds like lunchtime.

When people (especially parents) ask me about their kids' sleep habits, I explain to them that everyone's circadian pacemaker ticks at a different rate, but as you age your pacemaker will speed up or slow down, thus altering how your body responds to the 24-hour cycle. Babies don't get a rhythm going until about 6 months of age, at which point they establish a rhythm that matches closely with the 24-hour day. Teenagers typically don't go to bed much before 11 at night. From the age of about 15 to 25, that pacemaker slows down so a 17-year-old's body usually won't want to go to sleep early or get up early. The chemical responsible for sleepiness is secreted later at night and turns off later in the morning, leading to a "sleep phase delay." (So
your teen's weird sleep routine isn't all that weird, and it's not necessarily a means of rebellion.)

Sometime during our late 20s the body clock speeds back up again so it matches the 24-hour day. Then, later on in life our clocks speed up further so the body doesn't match so well with the 24-hour day. It wants to go to bed early and get up super early, which is what you find Granny and Gramps doing. At an older age the body also doesn't experience as strong of a fluctuation in core body temperature throughout the day, which affects the rhythm. This might explain partially why older people's rhythms aren't as robust and clearly defined as younger people's. Older people will weave in and out of being semi-sleepy and semi-awake throughout the day and night.

The reasoning behind the suggested new start time for schools is more than just helping teens match their unique sleep schedule. Kids (and for that matter, adults) who get a good night's sleep perform better, are more capable and prepared to learn new skills, and can manage their emotions better (a dream for any parent with a teen). What's more, research on adolescents' brains indicates that kids' brain patterns are such that the early morning is not an optimal time.

But here's the hitch: what does this mean for parents and teachers? School times are set largely for the convenience of parents and teachers -- not students. Will mom and dad now have to worry about how to shuffle their kids to and from school at odd times? And will they regret the endorsement of staying up to the wee hours on the morning and sleeping in past the breakfast hour? What about the teachers? How much longer of a day can they take?

Therein lies the need for a little experimentation with ideal times and new demands on parents, administrators, and teachers. Maybe 11:30 is pushing it. And maybe changing the schedule won't really change kids' habits. They will still play with the limits and arrive groggy and cranky no matter what hour we ask them to get going. Students are chronically sleep deprived-it's the nature of the beast so to speak. As a sleep doctor, I applaud this school board in Toronto for exploring how to improve students' success. But as a parent, I should hope they work out all the details to accommodate such a huge shift.

Related Video: Dr. Breus on Teens and Sleep Deprivation



Related Topics:

• 8 Ezzz Sleep Tips for Teens
• 5 Teen Behavior Problems: A Troubleshooting Guide

Technorati Tags: teens, sleep, school, Toronto, sleep deprivation, The Sleep Doctor

The Dangers of Sleeping Naked

Photo Credit: Max Negro

I was amused this week when I read in the Guardian about Travelodge's current crisis with sleepwalkers in the buff. The hotel chain now keeps towels on hand at the front desk to help these lost souls cover up when they wake up and find themselves out in public with, well, everything out in public.

Towels? I think they should use robes. If, God forbid, I were to wake up in the lobby of a hotel with strangers checking me out, I think I'd rather don a robe and dash as politely as possible back to my room than wrap a flimsy hotel towel around my waist and make a run for it (we know how insubstantial some of those hotel towels can be). According to Travelodge, the incidence of naked sleepwalking, which occurs almost exclusively among its male guests, has increased sevenfold in the past year. Now the staff is learning how to deal with this unsettling trend. I love how they call it a "phenomena."

Sleepwalking is not very common in the general population (estimates vary between 1 and 15 percent). It's more common in children than in adults, and Travelodge may be seeing more men than women in this behavior simply because it has more male than female guests. Because sleepwalking typically occurs if a person is sleep deprived, I'd venture to guess that many of these men are in work-related stays at the hotel and could use more sleep. Sleepwalking originates during deep sleep and the person usually remains in that state throughout the episode. Sometimes it's hard to awaken a sleepwalker, and the person may or may not recall getting out of bed...but no doubt he may think twice about forgoing the pajamas the next time.

Which brings to me this question: What's with all these men sleeping bare naked? I was curious enough to find out if there were any statistics about people who sleep in their birthday suit. I came across ABC News' poll called "American Sex Survey," which was done three years ago (this kind of data tends to be evergreen). Guess what: men are twice as likely as women to sleep in the nude (31 percent of men, 14 percent of women). Who knew?

But I wonder if those figures change when it comes to traveling. I don't know about you, but even if you're not a sleepwalker, being in a place other than the comforts of my own bed has its own hazards. Perhaps with the allure of carry-on luggage only these days, the pajamas get left behind.

Related Topics:

• Sleep Quiz: Fact or Fiction?
• How to Set Up a Healthy Sleep Environment

Technorati Tags: sleepwalking, sleep disorders, sleeping naked