Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/942738
42 march/april 2018 Sleep Trivia • An estimated 50–70 million adult Americans suff er from some type of sleep disorder. March 10 has been designated Insomnia Awareness Day to spotlight the serious health issues related to this crisis. • People who exercise on a regular basis fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly than the average person, while those who only exercise now and then have far more diffi culty falling asleep. • Humans are the only mammals that purposefully delay the act of sleep; most animals sleep when they feel tired, no matter what they're doing at the time. • All animals require diff erent amounts of sleep. Giraff es sleep for less than 2 hours per day, while brown bats sleep for nearly 20 hours. The average cat will spend two-thirds of its life snoozing. management role, sending out hormones that spur tissue growth and help your body recover from both injuries and everyday soreness. Virus-fi ghting white blood cells are also created during this downtime, while your blood pressure and level of stress decrease. Studies also suggest that brain cells assume a diff erent structure during sleep, fl ushing out toxins that accumulate during waking hours.3 LAY DOWN THE LAW Social engagements, family commitments, and electronic devices are just a few of the things that prevent many of us from maintaining healthy sleep habits. Getting that precious slumber becomes much easier, though, when you make adequate sleep a top priority by adopting sleep- friendly habits and creating a sleep-friendly environment. This begins by avoiding caff eine, strenuous exercise, nicotine, video games, cell phone apps, and anything else that might overstimulate your mind or body in the hours leading up to bedtime. Instead, create a pre-sleep ritual that includes a soothing bath, herbal tea, yoga, reading a good book (paper, not electronic), writing in a journal, or other calming activities. Once it's time for bed, make sure your bedroom is both dark and cool; darkness signals the brain that it's time to rest, and the National Sleep Foundation recommends between 60 and 67 degrees as an ideal temperature range for sleeping.4 Finally, set a sleep schedule and stick to it; this keeps your internal body clock adjusted and allows you to both fall asleep and wake up with less eff ort. RISE AND SHINE The positive eff ects of sleep can't be overstated. In addition to improving your health, a good night's sleep will also boost both your mood and your performance. You'll have more energy, more creativity, a brighter disposition, a better memory, heightened decision-making skills, more radiant skin, and lower levels of stress and depression. A healthy sleep routine is your body's best defense against premature aging at the cellular level, keeping your skin, hair, and nails beautiful. While some health remedies are hit and miss, this one works like a dream. Notes 1. American Academy of Sleep Medicine, "Seven or More Hours of Sleep Per Night: A Health Necessity for Adults," accessed February 2018, www.aasm.org/seven-or-more-hours-of-sleep- per-night-a-health-necessity-for-adults. 2. Science Daily, "Sleep Deprivation Linked to Aging Skin, Study Suggests," accessed February 2018, www.sciencedaily.com/ releases/2013/07/130723155002.htm. 3. National Institutes of Health, "Brain May Flush Out Toxins During Sleep," accessed February 2018, www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/ brain-may-fl ush-out-toxins-during-sleep. 4. Sleep.org, "The Ideal Temperature for Sleep," accessed February 2018, www. sleep.org/articles/temperature-for-sleep.