By Dr. Ira Shapiro
The findings have been all over the news. If you want a healthier, more productive life, sleep more.
No other essential ingredient to our existence has been treated with such disdain. While many “would give anything for a good night’s sleep,” others still soundly embrace the decades-old, tired and worn “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” mentality.
It’s hard to grasp. Sure, most of us are driven to succeed and acknowledge hard work’s role in this equation. But, when exactly did sleep become a negative? When did the need for sleep become a sign of weakness? The truth is rest is as important to our well-being as diet, exercise, self-fulfillment and the love of others. In fact, they are all interrelated. An excessive dedication to effort without the replenishment of mind and body leads to health and mental issues.
According to recent studies, and there have been many, it’s been reported that 25 to 40 percent of the American population get less than six hours of sleep a night on a regular basis. In addition to a constant sense of tiredness and fatigue, chronic sleep deprivation hinders balance and coordination leading to possible injury. Other common symptoms include depression, irritability, high blood pressure and heart disease. Plus, sleep less, eat more. It’s been proven that it’s nearly impossible to lose weight without the proper amount of rest and sleep.
As for the causes, stress, physical activity before bedtime, the excessive drinking of alcohol and caffeine are all prime suspects. For many, pain is still another. Getting comfortable and dozing off are extremely difficult when your body hurts. The 2015 Sleep in America Poll recently found that “21 percent of Americans experience chronic pain…. Conversely, 65 percent of those with no pain reported good or very good sleep quality,” while only 45 percent of those with acute pain said they slept well.
“Sleep ergonomics” refers to our postures and positions during sleep. They can either help us rest in safe mechanical positions or further stress joints to produce even more aches and pains.
Subsequently, it is possible to reduce back strain through with few simple changes The healthiest sleeping position is on your side. If that’s how you sleep already, enhance the position by drawing your legs up slightly toward the chest and putting a pillow between your legs. Some people even use a full-length body pillow to help maintain balance.
Consequently, be aware that sleeping on your stomach is generally bad for the back. In this position, the cervical spine undergoes considerable strain, which can cause nerve compression, muscular imbalance and muscle pain. If you can’t sleep any other way, reduce the strain by placing a pillow under your pelvis and lower abdomen.
Furthermore, mattresses and pillows should support the body in its natural position, allowing it to rest and recover from the day’s activities. The best mattresses are designed to conform to the spine’s natural curves. Some sleep experts recommend supportive memory-foam mattresses, while others have found a direct correlation between saggy beds and poor sleep quality.
However, don’t let the elusive quest for sleep run down what could otherwise be an active, healthy life. When all the home remedies fail, never fail to seek the advice of professionals who can not only help identify the underlying problems, but provide proper solutions for putting you back to sleep.
For more information on creating better, fitter and healthier lives for the entire family, contact the Dr. Ira Shapiro at Plaza Chiropractic Center in Old Bridge at 732-723-0023 or visit www.plazachiro.com.