The importance of Sleep Flashcards
How many people suffer from poor sleep?
69% of children experience sleep problems
40 million Americans suffer from sleep problems
60% of adults report having sleep problems a few nights a week or more, and 40% of adults experience day time sleepiness.
Signs of sleep deprivation?
irritability, moodiness, disinhibition
apathy, slowed speech, and flattened emotional responses
impaired memory, inability to behave or multi-task
How much sleep is needed?
average for most healthy adults is 8 hours
some people can function on 6 hours
some need 10 hours to perform at their peak
Causes of sleep problems?
Abnormalities in the following systems:
nervous, cardiovascular
metabolic, immune
Unhealthy conditions:
pathological sleepiness, insomnia, accidents,
hypertension, and elevated cardiovascular risks,
emotional disorders,
obesity, alcohol, drugs
Who are some of the most vulnerable people to sleep problems?
night shift workers
physicians
truck drivers
parents
teenagers
What is the number one cause of sleep difficulties? What are some of the others?
Stress (School and job pressure, family/marriage problems)
Other causes:
-Consuming caffeine in the morning or afternoon
-exercising close to bed time
-working or doing any other mentally intense activities right before or after getting into bed.
Physical examples of things that effect sleep?
arthritis
pain
backache
discomfort
PMS hormonal shifts and it’s accompanying hot flashes
Medications: Steroids, BP, asthma, or depression
Why is it important to establish good and regular sleep routines with young children?
Young teenagers with poor sleep habits were more than twice as likely to use drugs, tobacco, or alcohol.
There is a significant connection between sleep problems in children and later drug use.
Sleep deprivation also effects the learning of young people.
Nightmares VS Night Terrors?
Nightmares:
dreams with vivid and disturbing content common in children during REM sleep. You instantly wake up and recall dream content.
Night terrors:
Extreme nightmares that usually take place during non-REM sleep. It can lead to sweating and increased blood pressure.
It causes children to scream and barely remember events. Often take place early in the night with sleep walking.
How does lack of sleep play into serious accidents?
Lack of sleep can lead to serious accidents. 1%-4% of all highway crashes are due to sleepiness, especially in rural areas. 4% of these crashes are fatal.
Risk factors of driving while you are sleepy or drowsy?
Young adult males
Medical residents after their shift
commercial truck drivers
Late night/Early morning driving
Patients who obtain 6 or fewer hours of sleep at night
Why is hitting snooze not good?
Hitting snooze takes out the rest value especially if the increments are short.
Dozing and waking up again causes shifts in brain wave patterns.
Techniques to combat sleep problems?
-Keep a regular sleep/wake schedule
-don’t eat or drink caffeine 4-6 hours before bed time and minimize day time use
-don’t smoke
-avoid alcohol or heavy meals before sleep
-get regular exercise
-Minimize light, noise, excessive temperatures
-Try to wake up without an alarm
What is cognitive behavior therapy?
A type of psychotherapy that helps you change unhealthy ways of thinking so you could find new and improved ways to behave.
What are some things that can contribute to developing poor sleeping habits?
-Watching TV in bed or eating too much before bed time
-irregular sleep patterns (long naps, sleeping late)
-developing a fear of sleeping and worrying about the consequences of not sleeping
