Dispelling Sleep Myths

Waking up with bags beneath your eyes is the least of your
worries if you're not getting the deep sleep every human being requires.

And while every person is different, most people function well
on about eight hours of sleep.

"The average, when you look across the board, is 7-1/2 to
eight hours of sleep is best. Not everyone requires that, some people
require more," said Dr. Richard Bregman, medical director of the St.
Francis Hospital Sleep Disorders Center.

Some people require a little less, although pushing the line
too far has side effects for many people.

"When someone consistently gets less than what they require,
things go wrong," he said. "Their memory is decreased, the ability to
focus is decreased, mental acuity is decreased. So there are some real
issues that occur -- not just being sleepy -- when one is chronically
sleep-deprived."

In the years since he's been in practice, Bregman has heard a
lot of causes for lost sleep and some excuses and remedies to go with
them. But to get better quality Zs, you have to wipe out some old
habits and ways of thinking.

Myth: It's impossible to
catch up on sleep.

"You can. It's called recovery sleep, and it usually takes two
nights of recovery sleep to get one back to their base line," he said.

But that doesn't mean you must make up the exact amount of
time lost. If you lose five hours of sleep in a single night, you don't
have to sleep five extra hours over the course of next few days. Your
body will often let you know to go to bed a little earlier than usual.

"It's not a formula," he said. "You do go into a sleep debt,
but you can make it up."

Myth: A nightcap helps me
get to sleep.

"Not true," Bregman said. "The amount you think it takes
increases. It might be a half a glass of wine and in another month,
it's a glass of wine and then maybe a glass and a half," he said.

The body acclimates to alcohol and gradually requires more to
achieve the same effect.

As alcohol metabolizes in the body it can cause a person to
wake to varying degrees throughout the night, fragmenting the sound
sleep you should be getting.

If you have sleep apnea, alcohol also can make snoring worse
since it works as a muscle relaxer. The tongue is relaxed and closes
off the back of the throat cutting off airways.

"If you do want a drink, you should not drink within three
hours of bedtime," he said.

Myth: It's OK to take naps.

It depends.

"They're using up their sleep (during the day). They've rested
already," he said.

Because the body is attuned to rest a certain amount of time
each day, a nap after dinner can disturb the body's circadian rhythm,
or its natural 24-hour clock," Bregman said.

If a person needs a quick wink, Bregman said it should be taken before
4 p.m. so as not to interfere with a solid night's rest, Bregman
said. 

Myth:
Staying up late on weekends will have no effect through the rest of the
week.

"You should go to bed at the same time and get up at the same
time each
day, even on a Sunday," Bregman said. "You can maybe sleep an hour
later, but if you sleep 'til 10 o'clock, there's no way in the world
you're going to be able to go to bed at your normal bedtime."

Again, it comes down the body's internal clock, and altering
your sleep patterns on weekends (sleeping in late Sundays) can only
make it more difficult to rest later that night.

No wonder no one likes Mondays.

Myth: Take pain medications with a
sleep aid to rest.

Bregman said many of these short-acting medications are safe
and
can be withdrawn from safely, but be mindful of what it is you're
taking.

All "P.M." meds contain an antihistamine found in such allergy
medications as Benadryl.

"The problem is it doesn't work quickly, and it oftentimes
lasts a long time," he said.

People taking these products often experience a "hangover-type
effect."

"If you've ever taken Benadryl, sometimes it can act on you
for
10 hours, and you'll be very lethargic," he said. "If somebody needs a
sleeping aid, they should be given a sleeping aid, not a Benadryl. But
a lot of people take it because it is inexpensive and it makes you
sleepy."

Bregman also added that people should avoid exercise and heavy
meals prior to bedtime.

Exercise increases adrenaline and winds you up when you need
to
begin winding down toward the end of the day. A good rule of thumb is
to avoid high activity at least six hours before bedtime.

Exercising actually contributes to a good night's rest because
it's a release of energy and muscle tension. Just be mindful when you
do it.

While light snacks of food containing the sleep-inducing amino
acid L-tryptophan (turkey, milk, tuna) may help you get to sleep, a big
meal digesting in the gut while you're reclining could make for an
uncomfortable night, as stomach acids can cause indigestion.

"When we deal with people with insomnia it's kind of like
every
little bit can help, like no naps after 4 o'clock, getting exercise
during the day ... Every little tip helps," he said. "It's not just one
thing, it's a little bit of everything."

Source: Tulsa World.
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