How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep

Matthew Viereck, MD, Reading Hospital Neurology

The Three Most Common Questions

As a sleep medicine physician, I enjoy educating people about the importance of a good night's sleep. Sometimes a few simple changes to your nighttime routine can make a big impact.

I appreciate the opportunity to answer questions about the health benefits of sleep, both inside and outside the office.The three most common questions I receive are below, along with my best guidance.

1. Why is it importantto get a good night's sleep ?

There is good reason why we often say, 'Sleep is the bestmedicine'. Research shows positive health benefits occur when you receivea good night's sleep.

Many people tend to overlook the amount of sleep they need. The average adultshould get seven to nine hours of sleep each night. If you get fewer than the recommended hours you could be impacted in ways you don't notice such asdecreased reaction times, less control of emotions, and increased anxiety.

If you regularly catch enough Zzz's it can decrease the chanceof heart disease, including high blood pressure, stroke, or heart attack. Sleep also helps regulate hormones that can decrease the risk of diabetes, helpyour body's immune system fight an infection, and help you maintain a healthy weight.

2. What can I do to get a better night's sleep?

When people feel tired, they often think that spending more time relaxing in bed will lead to more and/or better sleep, butthe opposite is true. It can lead to restlessness and insomnia. You should only use the bedroom for sleep and only be in bed if you're preparing for sleep. An ideal sleep environment is dark and cool.A temperature between 65 to68 degrees is ideal for most people.

Other helpful tips include:

• Protect the last hour or two of your day for restful activities. Try not to exercise too close to bedtime. Restful activities could include reading, journaling, or meditating.
• Get up at the same time every day, seven days a week.Varying your wake time throws off your circadian rhythm (your body's internal clock). A regular wake time also leads to a regular sleep time.
• Avoid naps during the day. If you need to take a nap it should not exceed 20 to 30 minutes.
• Avoid caffeine after 1 p.m.
• Do not consume alcohol before bed to help yousleep. It is a misconception that it will helpaid sleep and often leads to fragmented sleep.
• Avoid excess liquids within two hours of bedtime.

3. When should I seek the help ofa sleep medicine physician?

Signs and symptoms of common sleep disorders include insomnia, night terrors, daytime sleepiness - even if you get a good night's sleep - frequent napping, or excessive snoring. If you are struggling to get a good night's sleep for two weeks, I recommend scheduling an appointment with a sleep medicine physician whocan help you address both short-term and long-term issues.

Dr. Viereck is a fellowship-trained neurologist with a focuson Sleep Medicine. He helps patients with a variety of sleep-related issues, including insomnia disorders, delayed or advanced sleep phase syndrome, restless legs syndrome, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, shift-work disorder, sleepwalking or night terrors, REM (rapid eye movement) sleep behavior disorder, and hypersomnia. He completed his fellowship at Brigham and Women's and Massachusetts General Hospitals in Boston, Mass., and his residency in Neurology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York, N.Y. He is a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the American Academy of Neurology.