Do you sleep well? Does nighttime screen-browsing prevent you from nodding off? Do you lose sleep during the week but hope to catch up on the weekend?
There’s no time like now to focus on sleep habits for a longer life. Good sleep hygiene at all ages is essential for a rewarding, independent lifestyle when you’re 90 — or perhaps even longer.
In our Longevity series’ introductory blog post, I covered four core pillars of health that affect how you age:
- Diet and nutrition
- Exercise and movement
- Sleep
- Emotional health
Our second and third Longevity blog posts reviewed the impact of diet and exercise on your healthy, long life. In this fourth and final Longevity installment, we’ll explore sleep habits for a longer life.
Sleep Contributes to Optimal Health and Quality of Life
As we slumber, our bodies are not as passive as they seem: They’re busy clearing out or reducing the byproducts of our day, such as unfavorable oxidants and inflammation. And, like exercise, sleep is one of the most crucial tools for reducing stress.
Missing sleep is a missed opportunity to support a long and healthy life.
And if you don’t prioritize it, sleep disturbances will catch up with you. Studies show if you skip several hours of sleep during the week, those few extra hours you grab the following weekend won’t fully compensate for your gaps in sleep.
Good Sleep Habits for a Longer Life
A good night’s sleep improves longevity by:
- Reducing your risk for heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular disorders
- Reducing your risk of memory loss or dementia as you age
- Fighting off routine illness and helping you recover from exercise
- Assisting you in maintaining a healthy weight and processing sugar better to reduce the risk of diabetes and other metabolic disorders
- Reducing inflammation, which is the root cause of many diseases, including some forms of cancer
These benefits foster better overall health and greater independence later in life.
Poor Sleep Can Cause Health Issues
Poor sleep hygiene can reverse those pluses or potentially lead to other issues. A disordered sleep schedule — one that frequently fluctuates by more than an hour — affects not just the quantity but also the quality of sleep.
Sleep disturbances can result in a broad range of issues:
- Recovery and repair activity during sleep benefits the master controller of our hormones: the pituitary gland. So, poor-quality, dysregulated sleep may gradually impair the thyroid, pancreas, and male and female sexual hormones.
- Sleepless nights can elevate stress levels — and in a vicious cycle, heightened stress may contribute to more sleepless nights.
- A known link exists between sleep apnea and low testosterone in men and women. Medical science is studying the mechanism for this link.
What’s Good Sleep Hygiene?
In North Carolina, over 34% of adults report insufficient sleep, fewer than seven hours a night. Ideally, one should get 7.5 hours of sleep, but this number varies by individual.
Here are some tips for getting sufficient sleep:
- Reduce your stress if possible — both during the day and before bedtime — to boost your odds of undisturbed sleep.
- Strive to maintain the same sleep schedule (within a half-hour) when you retire every night and awake each morning. There’ll be occasional exceptions, such as when you travel, but return to consistency as soon as possible.
- Deep REM sleep contributes to memory, brain development, and mood regulation. The more REM sleep you get, the greater the benefits of sleep. Generally, getting a couple hours of REM sleep each night will help you wake up rested and refreshed.
For additional suggestions, the University of North Carolina School of Medicine offers common-sense tips on maintaining good sleep hygiene.
Revisit the Four Core Pillars of Longevity
Let’s take a final look at the core pillars of health: diet and nutrition, exercise and movement, sleep, and emotional health. The pillars are interconnected, and if one is neglected, the others are likely to suffer as well.
If you don’t successfully manage stress, it’ll affect your sleep. In a domino effect, poor sleep may impact your ability to exercise and, consequently, your eating habits.
It’s a balancing act, and desired outcomes vary from person to person. My wife and I discuss our objectives for a longer life. Many patients at Priority Physicians are equally goal-oriented about their longevity.
Consider the four pillars and how you want your later years to look: What defines a superb health span? What steps will you take to live your best life as a senior?
We’re Here to Help You
Focusing on these pillars, especially sleep habits, enhances one’s health span or lifespan more than vitamins or supplements. And if life events, travel, or holidays temporarily throw your sleep schedule off-track, don’t beat yourself up. Be kind to yourself, then get back on track as soon as possible.
We’d love to help you develop sleep habits for a longer life and achieve a lifetime of healthy, restful sleep. Contact us today!
