Sleep Hygiene

How the Quality of Sleep Affects Overall Health

Share

We live in a highly sleep-deprived society. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 1 in 3 people in the United States does not get enough sleep regularly. Additionally, the National Sleep Foundation reports that 45 percent of adults in the US admit that insufficient or poor sleep has impacted their daily activities at least once in the previous week. About a third of the people who said they slept the number of hours that doctors recommend reported experiencing poor sleep quality.

How Lack of Sleep Affects the Body

Insufficient or poor sleep has been linked to numerous health issues. People who don’t get enough sleep or have poor sleep quality have a higher risk of developing dangerous health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.

Over the long term, it has been linked to a shortened lifespan. It may be tempting to forego sleep to have a few extra hours of awake time, but the price is too high. Your body and mind need rest, and when you deny that need, you set in motion the potential for severe impacts on your health.

Sleep is when your body and brain rest and rejuvenate. When you have a night of adequate sleep, you will find more focused and have better mental clarity.

You will also notice increased energy and a better mood. When you don’t give your body the rest it needs, you will feel drained and irritable.

You may also notice that you get sick more often as sleep is directly tied to immune function. One study even found that people who got eight hours of sleep a night were less likely to catch a cold or develop cold symptoms that those who got less than seven hours a night.

Those who got less than seven hours were three times more likely to get sick. There is no denying, that sleep is essential.

Amazing Benefits of Sleep

There is no denying that sleep is vital for a healthier mind and body. This includes quality of sleep. Poor sleep quality can be just as detrimental as not getting enough hours of sleep and can still lead to sleep deprivation. A great deal of research has been done on the effects of sleep and has shown that getting good sleep provides excellent benefits, including:

  • Longer life
  • Increased production at work
  • Enhanced athletic performance
  • Less anxiety and depression
  • A better outlook on life
  • Decreased inflammation
  • Healthier spine
  • Better pain management
  • Improved grades
  • Lowered risk of certain health conditions
  • Better memory
  • Increased creativity
  • Reduced chance of auto accidents
  • Lower stress level
  • Better decision making
  • Enhanced attention or focus

Portrait of a Good Night’s Sleep

Adults should get between seven and nine hours of sleep a night, preferably uninterrupted, within 24 hours regularly. There is more to a good night’s sleep than quantity. You should be able to fall asleep within about 20 minutes after you lie down and stay asleep.

When you wake, you should feel refreshed and, alert, productive throughout most of the day – although it is normal for a person to notice a temporary decrease in energy and alertness later in the afternoon.

Suppose your family members, friend, or spouse notice any unusual or troubling sleep behaviors such as snoring, restlessness, pauses in breathing, or nightmares. In that case, it could indicate a more significant problem other than interrupted sleep. It is well worth visiting your doctor to get help and remedy the situation because rest is one of your body’s essential needs – and you can’t survive without it.

Be kind to yourself.  Developing new sleep habits takes patience and effort, but there has never been a better time to make a fresh start. As we pull out of our pandemic-related quarantines, it’s a great time to review sleeping habits and make the leap to a new normal. 

Lower Back Pain Treatment

Post Disclaimer

Professional Scope of Practice *

The information herein on "How the Quality of Sleep Affects Overall Health" is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional.

Blog Information & Scope Discussions

Our information scope is limited to Chiropractic, musculoskeletal, acupuncture, physical medicines, wellness, contributing etiological viscerosomatic disturbances within clinical presentations, associated somatovisceral reflex clinical dynamics, subluxation complexes, sensitive health issues, and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions.

We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.*

Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, or contact us at 915-850-0900.

We are here to help you and your family.

Blessings

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN*, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed as a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) in Texas & New Mexico*
Texas DC License # TX5807, New Mexico DC License # NM-DC2182

Licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN*) in Florida
Florida License RN License # RN9617241 (Control No. 3558029)
Compact Status: Multi-State License: Authorized to Practice in 40 States*

Presently Matriculated: ICHS: MSN* FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner Program)

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN* CIFM*, IFMCP*, ATN*, CCST
My Digital Business Card

Recent Posts

Beginner Workouts: Simple Exercises for a Healthier You

Can beginner workouts help individuals who want to improve their health by helping them lose… Read More

October 11, 2024

Surgical Decompression: A Solution for Nerve Root Encroachment

Individuals experiencing persistent pain, weakness, numbness, and tingling in the back could be suffering from… Read More

October 10, 2024

The Importance of Staying Hydrated and How to Do It

Can individuals maintain proper hydration levels in their bodies to prevent spinal pain and other… Read More

October 10, 2024

Daily Vegetable Consumption: The Key to a Healthy Diet

Does an individual's ideal daily intake of vegetables depend on age, sex, and activity level?… Read More

October 9, 2024

Peptic Ulcers and NSAIDs: Causes, Symptoms, and Prevention

For individuals with chronic pain conditions, what are the risks of developing peptic ulcers? NSAIDs… Read More

October 8, 2024

The Importance of Concussion Tests for Brain Injury Evaluation

What type of concussion tests are there to help establish the extent of head injuries… Read More

October 4, 2024