March is National Sleep Awareness Month! While sleep can often be overlooked as part of a healthy routine, it is extremely important for our overall health. With demanding lives and increased technology, it can be hard to prioritize sleep, but National Sleep Awareness Month is the perfect time to start!
Sleep plays an important role in several different body systems and functions. Some of these include muscle repair, injury recovery, memory and learning, and immune function. Studies have also shown that chronic lack of sleep or poor sleep quality increases the risk of health problems such as high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression and obesity. Pain is also linked with poor sleep. It might come as a surprise, but research has shown that poor sleep is actually more predictive of pain than pain is predictive of poor sleep. So if you have been struggling with pain, it is worth it to look at your sleeping habits and see if they may be impacting your recovery.
So, how much sleep do we actually need? It varies greatly by person, but in general, adults need 7-9 hours. This will change depending on your activity levels, medical conditions, etc. For example, if you are training for a marathon or recovering from a surgery or injury, your body is going to require more sleep. If you are having trouble sleeping, some potential causes of poor sleep include sleep apnea, stress or anxiety, medications, or poor sleep hygiene.
Some tips for better sleep hygiene:
- avoid caffeine or alcohol close to bedtime
- limit screen time before going to sleep
- exercise regularly but not too close to bedtime
- maintain a consistent sleep schedule
- create a relaxing nighttime routine if possible
Sleep issues may also be caused by underlying aches or pains. If you’re experiencing discomfort that’s affecting your rest, consider reaching out to Action Potential Physical Therapy for an evaluation https://reachyours.com/request-appointment/