Sleep Tips
with James Rossiter, M.D.
Fight daytime stress with a good night's sleep
"I had experience with this myself when I was an intern and resident. You get into a vicious cycle where the lack of sleep makes the stress worse and the stress makes it impossible to sleep even with medication."
-James Rossiter, M.D., Otolaryngologist with Columbia St. Mary's
It's no surprise that a physician who sees so many stressed-out people, would have developed some great ideas on how to relax. Here are tips Dr. Rossiter gives his patients on how to get those needed hours of nighttime sleep:
1.
Try not to nap. Napping breaks your sleep patterns. What you need is six to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. To obtain this, you need to get to sleep at the same time each night. Napping will likely interfere with your normal sleep-wake cycle.
2.
Don't sleep after a heavy meal. Also avoid alcohol or caffeine. Alcohol may help you get to sleep faster, but it interferes with the deep sleep you need to get a good night's rest.
3.
Don't smoke before bed. Smoking affects the blood flow and tone of the body and nicotine is like caffeine in that it acts as a stimulant. After smoking it takes a while for your body to settle down. Smoking also affects the tone of the muscles in the back of the throat, causing snoring and other sleep irregularities, such as sleep apnea.
4.
Avoid heavy exercise just before bed. While exercise during the day can improve your mood and your ability to fall asleep, however avoid heavy exercise just before bed. Stretching, yoga, meditation and tai chi are beneficial, as are listening to music or reading a relaxing book.
5.
Use a good mattress and a comfortable pillow. Stress causes big-time muscle tension problems from your lower back to your jaw so you want to keep the neck and shoulders as comfortable as possible. There is no specific sleeping position that is best though if you have neck problems, sleep on your back. If you snore, sleep on your side.
6.
Avoid drugs that act as stimulants, such as decongestants or any drugs containing caffeine. Steroids are also stimulants; so if you are taking a steroid-containing medication, take it earlier in the day, certainly before dinner. Foods containing chocolate can also act as a stimulent.
7.
Avoid drugs that dry your mouth out, such as antihistamines. The dryness will contribute to snoring and other problems. And if you can, avoid taking sleeping pills. They may help you get to sleep quickly but will not allow you to get into a normal cycle.
8.
Use your bed for sleeping, not for doing your work late at night.
And remember, everyone has an occasional sleepless night, but the anxiety caused by recurring insomnia can make going to bed a stressful event in itself. The most important thing is to avoid tossing and turning and viewing your sleeplessness as a curse.
Instead, use those extra hours. Get out of bed. Do some yoga, or go downstairs and have a cup of herbal tea (chamomile) or warm milk. Relax in a warm bath. If you're still not sleepy when you get back to bed, read or practice some relaxation techniques or meditation but don't turn your bed into the battleground between your need to sleep and your already overwrought body.
