By MELANIE LOWMAN, MA, LMHC
Therapist, Member – Tippecanoe Valley Mental Health Task Force

AKRON — The average person spends approximately one-third of their life sleeping? To put this into perspective the average person who lives to be 90 years old will have slept approximately 11,680 days or 32 years.

Sleep serves many purposes. It affects our physical, social and mental health. There are many theories on the purpose of sleep. Research has found that when we sleep it helps with the restoration of our bodies, energy conservation and with “brain processing and memory consolidation” (Foster, 2009).

There was a study conducted at a junior high school in Manhattan in 2001 where they found on average students were getting six hours of sleep a night. These students reported struggling to stay awake in class during the day. Teachers noted these students would come to class “disoriented and unable to focus” (Davis, et. al. 2001). Dr. Hunt the director of the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research commented, “people who are sleep deprived cannot concentrate and have difficulty remembering things. They take extra time to do just about any task because they are moving more slowly” (2001). Slower reaction times due to sleep deprivation increase the risk of accidents and decrease productivity. Hunt went on to share of those children under the age of 18 who visited the emergency room due to an accident, many were sleep deprived.

His research also found not only were these students more prone to accidents they also struggled socially. Prolonged sleep deprivation can increase the frequency and duration of anxiety and depression as well. He went on to note teens “can be irritable and nasty, and are more prone to say and do things that they wouldn’t if they were less groggy and able to think clearly. This can also be said of adults”(2001).

In an article written for the Kathyrn Severyns Dement Sleep Disorders Center at the St. Mary Medical Center in Washington, Dr. Simon stated that, “Teenagers are the sleepiest members of society.” He noted the connection of sleep deprivation and poor school performance, increased drug and alcohol use and increased automobile accidents” (2001).

So how do we get more sleep with all the demands of work, school, sports, friends and family and the list goes on? Some have argued that making adjustments to the start of the school day is the answer. Hunt argues, that “it is not just the start time” but incorporating healthy sleep habits into our lifestyle (2001).

Most of this article so far has focused on the negative effects of not enough sleep. I am sure at one point or another you have experienced some of the mentioned effects of being sleep deprived. The purpose of this article is to point out long-term sleep deprivation can have a significant negative impact on both your physical and mental health. The remaining portion of this article is going to offer some tips research has found to be helpful and effective in obtaining an adequate amount of sleep that allows you to function without all the negative side effects of being sleep deprived.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends the following hours of sleep each night based on your age: 6-13 years: 9-11 hours, 14-adulthood: 8-10 hours. Here are several Healthy Sleep Tips they recommend to help receive a restful night sleep:

1. Stick to a schedule. Go to bed the same time every night. Even on the weekends. A regular routine helps to regulate your body’s clock.

2. Wind down and establish a bedtime ritual. Establish a relaxing routine away from bright lights. This includes cell phones, iPods, computes, Kindles and the list of electronic devices goes on. Having some down time away from these has been proven to increase the quality of our sleep.

3. Be cautious of taking naps. If sleep is hard for you it is suggested to avoid naps. If you must take a powernap it is recommended to do so early in the afternoon.

4. Exercise daily.

5. Evaluate your room. Make sure your room is comfortable, free of distractions and light.

6. Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillow. Make sure your bed and pillow are comfortable. Use your bed only for sleeping.

7. Use bright light to help manage your circadian rhythm. Avoid bright light at night but “expose yourself to sunlight in the morning.” Our bodies are designed to respond to light. This response tells us when to wake up and when to fall asleep.

8. Avoid alcohol, cigarettes and heavy meals in the evening. These disrupt sleep (2015).

If you had the opportunity to hear Jeff Yalden speak on suicide prevention he stressed the importance of sleep. He stressed how a good night sleep helps with our physical and mental health. He reiterated how research is finding it to be helpful to remove electronic devices from our student’s bedrooms in an effort to help our students to receive good quality sleep without the distractions.

Sleep is not an end all to all life’s problems but it is a critical piece to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. If you are finding it difficult to formulate a healthy sleep routine and are in need of some help, I am here to help. I would love to meet with you in my office in Plymouth. I can be contacted by phone: (260) 249-5030. Feel free to check out my website for more information on the counseling services I provide.