(This is the first of a four-part series on sleep. See Tuesday’s edition to learn more about sleep disorders.)
Noah Johnson, a senior at Humboldt High School, often falls asleep with cell phone in hand and the television on.
In the morning, the alarm on his phone wakes him. The first thing he does is check his phone for the time and notifications from various apps and accounts.
Johnson estimates he sleeps between five to six hours, depending on his extracurricular activities and homework responsibilities. He should be getting between 7-10 hours of sleep, according to the National Sleep Foundation.
Johnson knows he isn’t getting the recommended amount. He might feel a little tired in the morning, but seems to have plenty of energy throughout the day. He sees better sleep as more of a long-term goal.
“Right now, being a high school senior, it doesn’t seem like the biggest thing I have on my plate,” he said.
Johnson’s sleep routine may seem typical. More than one-third of American adults don’t get enough sleep, according to the CDC. Lack of sleep can result in chronic health problems and can lead to motor vehicle crashes and mistakes at work.
Local health experts say a good night’s sleep is the best way to keep yourself in a healthful condition, both physically and emotionally.
“We don’t pay enough attention to sleep,” Dr. John Nelson, a pulmonologist and sleep specialist who serves as director of Allen County Regional Hospital’s sleep lab, said. “It’s an epidemic.”
GOOD SLEEP habits are critical to good health, Nelson said. “And poor sleep is strongly associated with ill health in many ways.”
Poor sleep can lead to or worsen health problems like cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, cancer, dementia, depression and metabolic issues. Problems like fibromyalgia or restless leg syndrome and even some medications make it difficult to get a restful night’s sleep. Alcohol or drug use also can interfere with sleep.
“Sleep deprivation affects virtually all metabolic processes,” Nelson said.
People who are sleep-deprived often complain of fatigue. It may be difficult for them to initiate or maintain physical activity. They may have difficulty concentrating or remembering things, or may feel irritable.
They also may fall asleep at inappropriate times, like when they sit down to watch TV or attend church. Their spouses complain about snoring, frequent trips to the bathroom or tossing and turning. They may experience “microsleeps,” which are very short periods of sleep while still awake such as someone who drives to a destination but has no memory of the trip.
Drowsy driving causes 1,500 deaths and 40,000 nonfatal injuries each year, according to the National Department of Transportation. Studies show drowsy driving is as dangerous as being impaired by alcohol.
IN ADDITION to physical problems, lack of healthful sleep can worsen mental health, Doug Wright, director of clinical services for Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center, said.
Anxiety. Depression. Irritability. Anger. Those are some of the problems that can be magnified or even caused by poor sleep, Wright said.
Sleep disorders affect people with mental health issues at a higher rate than the general population, Wright said. Between 50 to 80 percent of people with mental health issues suffer from sleep-related disorders, compared to between 10 to 18 percent of the general population.
“Poor sleep causes people to feel grumpy, irritated or just out of it,” he said. “When you consider how many people in mental health treatment don’t get enough sleep, it really magnifies the problem.”
SLEEP IS the first thing Wright addresses with many of his younger patients.
“Kids live a very stressful life now. There are a lot of demands on them. They’re connected to the world in a different way,” Wright said. “Getting to deep sleep helps us take the stresses off. Some of the irritability, some of the anxiety we see in kids is because they never get that reset.”
Wright worries about the use of cell phones and other devices right before bedtime. The body’s natural “circadian rhythm,” or 24-hour sleep/wake cycle, is strongly influenced by light. Even though devices like cell phones typically feature an option to reduce the level of blue light at night, a cell phone with its various apps and notifications still provides “an alerting response” that stimulates our the brain, Wright said.
“You see the symptoms of poor sleep more and more with kids. They wake up and instead of going back to sleep, they get on their device.”
When children are brought in for mental health treatment, Wright starts with teaching sleep hygiene. That includes such things as establishing a regular bedtime and a nighttime routine like brushing teeth before bed. He encourages patients to eliminate caffeine and get regular exercise, though not right before bedtime.
IN ADDITION to children and teenagers, Wright discussed concerns about other groups that struggle with sleep-related problems:
• People suffering from trauma, particularly first responders or victims.
The key to helping people recover from trauma is getting back into a normal routine, with good eating and sleeping habits, Wright said. People who suffer trauma may have nightmares, anxiety or stress that make sleep difficult, but healthful sleep is the best way for the brain to “reset” after a traumatic event. Although much is unknown about the process, it’s believed that the brain processes emotional events through dreams and other aspects.
“Dealing with trauma is all about getting back to that reset, physically and emotionally,” Wright said.
• College students.
Like their younger counterparts, college students live stressful lives. They typically juggle active social lives, school work and jobs. They often keep irregular hours and may live alone for the first time, without mom or dad to remind them to go to bed.
• Elderly.
Although studies say the elderly may need less sleep, they also may have more health problems like chronic pain that interfere with healthful sleep, Wright said.
• Expectant mothers.
In addition to busy demands on their time, expectant mothers face physical and hormonal changes that interfere with sleep. Lack of sleep can impact not only the mother’s health but also that of her developing child, Wright said.
IF YOU can’t regulate yourself physically with healthful, productive sleep, you can’t regulate yourself emotionally, Wright said. “Deep sleep is one of the best ways to psychologically regulate ourselves.”
PHOTO: Cindy Brant, a sleep technician at Allen County Regional Hospital, and Fred Larson, ACRH Respiratory Director and Sleep/Health Informatics Coordinator, are shown in the hospital’s sleep lab. The lab is accredited and is used to diagnose sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea to improve health and quality of life. REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS
