| Wake-Up Call on the Importance of Sleep. By Jeanetta C. Rains, PhD |
As our clocks “spring forward” for Daylight Savings Time, most Americans lose an hour of sleep until our internal body clocks can re-adjust
to the external clock change. Our bodies can adjust to this one-hour time change within a few days. But during those few days, most of us
can actually feel the effects of sleep loss.
The one-hour time change has some obvious and some not-so-obvious consequences. Getting up an hour earlier than usual on Monday
morning leaves most of us feeling tired and maybe a little cranky—watch your coworkers and just see if they are as cheerful Monday, after
the time change. This sleep loss not only makes us feel lousy, but also results in a measurable increase in the rate of traffic accidents.
Researchers in several countries that participate in Daylight Savings Time (e.g., US, Canada, Britain, Sweden) have consistently
demonstrated an increase in accidents for several days after the Spring time change.
The time change alone does not cause accidents; it merely aggravates an existing problem. Most individuals in America and other
industrialized countries are already sleep-deprived. Work, home and family lives are busier than ever. The average adult needs 8 to 9 hours
of sleep every 24-hour period in order to feel and function his/her best. However, the average American actually sleeps less than 7 hours
per day.
Specific high-risk groups for sleepiness-related accidents include those with untreated sleep disorders (such as snoring and sleep apnea,
insomnia, narcolepsy), shift-workers, commercial drivers, young people under the age of 25, and others who are chronically sleep deprived.
Make sleep a priority and never drive drowsy.
Synchronize your biological clock daily. Go to bed at a set time each night and get up at the same time each morning. Consistent bedtimes
and wake-up times reinforce the regular rhythm of your body clock. “Sleeping in” on weekends makes it harder to wake up early on Monday
morning because it re-sets your sleep cycles for a later awakening.
Find time to wind down at night by reading, taking a warm bath, or other relaxing routines that can make it easier to fall asleep. Sometimes,
our best efforts to maintain good sleep and wake habits do not solve the problems. If you have persistent problems falling asleep or feeling
tired the next day, this can be a sign of a sleep disorder.
If your child or bed partners are keeping you awake with their snoring, breathing pauses during sleep, problems with sleeping at night,
difficulty staying awake during the daytime, unexplained decrease in daytime performance, then it’s time to discuss these symptoms with
their healthcare provider.
There are many treatments for sleep disorders; some may include the use of a simple medical device, medication, lifestyle changes, or
corrective surgery. The goal is to restore the natural balance of sleep and wake to keep you healthy and safe.
The benefits of an outpatient rehabilitation program are that patients can return to their normal activities much sooner than if they did not
have outpatient rehabilitation…plus they will be healthier and fit than before their injury or problem occurred.
Jeanetta C. Rains, Ph.D., joined the Elliot Hospital as Clinical Director of the Elliot Sleep Evaluation Center in 1997. Dr. Rains received her
doctoral degree in clinical psychology graduating Suma Cum Laude from the University of Arkansas. Prior to coming to Elliot, she served as
faculty for 6 years at the University of Mississippi Medical School and adjunct faculty of the Dartmouth Medical School. She has been
working in the field of headache and sleep disorders medicine since 1991, her experience includes patient care, education of medical and
psychology residents and fellows, and research. She has authored more than 90 scientific publications and is a frequent speaker at national
and regional professional meetings. She can be contacted at the Elliot Sleep Evaluation Center at 663-6680 or visit www.elliothospital.org.
to the external clock change. Our bodies can adjust to this one-hour time change within a few days. But during those few days, most of us
can actually feel the effects of sleep loss.
The one-hour time change has some obvious and some not-so-obvious consequences. Getting up an hour earlier than usual on Monday
morning leaves most of us feeling tired and maybe a little cranky—watch your coworkers and just see if they are as cheerful Monday, after
the time change. This sleep loss not only makes us feel lousy, but also results in a measurable increase in the rate of traffic accidents.
Researchers in several countries that participate in Daylight Savings Time (e.g., US, Canada, Britain, Sweden) have consistently
demonstrated an increase in accidents for several days after the Spring time change.
The time change alone does not cause accidents; it merely aggravates an existing problem. Most individuals in America and other
industrialized countries are already sleep-deprived. Work, home and family lives are busier than ever. The average adult needs 8 to 9 hours
of sleep every 24-hour period in order to feel and function his/her best. However, the average American actually sleeps less than 7 hours
per day.
Specific high-risk groups for sleepiness-related accidents include those with untreated sleep disorders (such as snoring and sleep apnea,
insomnia, narcolepsy), shift-workers, commercial drivers, young people under the age of 25, and others who are chronically sleep deprived.
Make sleep a priority and never drive drowsy.
Synchronize your biological clock daily. Go to bed at a set time each night and get up at the same time each morning. Consistent bedtimes
and wake-up times reinforce the regular rhythm of your body clock. “Sleeping in” on weekends makes it harder to wake up early on Monday
morning because it re-sets your sleep cycles for a later awakening.
Find time to wind down at night by reading, taking a warm bath, or other relaxing routines that can make it easier to fall asleep. Sometimes,
our best efforts to maintain good sleep and wake habits do not solve the problems. If you have persistent problems falling asleep or feeling
tired the next day, this can be a sign of a sleep disorder.
If your child or bed partners are keeping you awake with their snoring, breathing pauses during sleep, problems with sleeping at night,
difficulty staying awake during the daytime, unexplained decrease in daytime performance, then it’s time to discuss these symptoms with
their healthcare provider.
There are many treatments for sleep disorders; some may include the use of a simple medical device, medication, lifestyle changes, or
corrective surgery. The goal is to restore the natural balance of sleep and wake to keep you healthy and safe.
The benefits of an outpatient rehabilitation program are that patients can return to their normal activities much sooner than if they did not
have outpatient rehabilitation…plus they will be healthier and fit than before their injury or problem occurred.
Jeanetta C. Rains, Ph.D., joined the Elliot Hospital as Clinical Director of the Elliot Sleep Evaluation Center in 1997. Dr. Rains received her
doctoral degree in clinical psychology graduating Suma Cum Laude from the University of Arkansas. Prior to coming to Elliot, she served as
faculty for 6 years at the University of Mississippi Medical School and adjunct faculty of the Dartmouth Medical School. She has been
working in the field of headache and sleep disorders medicine since 1991, her experience includes patient care, education of medical and
psychology residents and fellows, and research. She has authored more than 90 scientific publications and is a frequent speaker at national
and regional professional meetings. She can be contacted at the Elliot Sleep Evaluation Center at 663-6680 or visit www.elliothospital.org.
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applaud local women. The core of the magazine is our inspirational women's articles, most of which feature local women but occasionally we are
able to interview national women who we feel provide a unique inspiration for our readers. Our other articles cover topics of interest such as food
recipes, home, garden, beauty, health, fashion, dating, parenting, seniors, finance, business, hair care, skin care, advice, real estate, insurance,
weddings etc. Each issue has a feature section as well. Many of our articles are written by local business people who provide information
relevant to their business expertise. The Applaud Women website is also a resource center for local women including the most comprehensive
listings of Restaurants, Weddings, Female doctors and Hotels. It also includes a number of informational pages with links, articles and RSS feeds
to both local and national websites of interest to women in NH & n. MA.
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