Sleepless in America

A good night's sleep: You want it. You need it. But if you're like most adults, you don't get anywhere near enough. Here are 10 tips from the UCLA Center for Sleep Research to help you avoid accumulating "sleep debt."

It's time to wake up to the fact that we can't give sleep short shrift.

Everybody has an internal biological clock that tells us when we need some zzzzz's, yet most of us refuse to listen. We have busy schedules, so we cheat. We borrow from the seven to nine hours a night that the mind and body require, accumulating a "sleep debt." "In the short run, the body will be forgiving and allow you to go into debt, but you have to pay it back in good faith or eventually you will go bankrupt," warns Dr. Frisca Yan-Go, medical director of the UCLA Sleep Disorders Center and UCLA Autonomic Disorders Center.

In a pre-Edison world, when staying up late required burning candles, the average night's sleep was 10 hours. Now, Americans are burning the candle at both ends, logging an average of 6.9 hours of sleep on weeknights and 7.5 on weekends, according to a survey conducted by the National Sleep Foundation.

The consequences of chronic sleep deprivation aren't pretty. Approximately 100,000 motor vehicle accidents are caused by drowsy drivers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Mentally, Yan-Go likens the symptoms of sleep deprivation to those of depression. "You become irritable, lose interest in things and don't think well," she says. Studies have also linked insufficient sleep with increased risk for certain health problems, including hypertension, diabetes and unhealthy weight gain.

Although insufficient quantity and quality of sleep is often related to medical problems, the good news, especially if you are sleep-deprived, is that most sleep disorders are treatable and the rewards of finally solving the problem are substantial.

So rest easy: You can pay off your sleep debt. Here are 10 tips we've collected from the experts at the National Sleep Foundation, the UCLA Sleep Disorders Center and the UCLA Autonomic Disorders Center that will help you do so.

Next Page: 10 Tips for Sleeping Like a Baby

Say Good night: 10 Tips for Sleeping Like a Baby

• Go to bed and wake up at approximately the same time each day.

  Too much shifting — waking up at 6 a.m. on weekdays and at noon on weekends, for example — throws the brain's circadian rhythm off-kilter, producing a sensation similar to jet lag.

• Establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine.

  Find a soothing activity, away from bright light, that doesn't arouse your mind. If you tend to worry or feel stress, write down your thoughts and/or make lists to "empty" your brain so that you don't bring your problems to bed with you.

• Create a sleep-conducive environment.

  Conditions should be cool, quiet, dark, comfortable and free of interruptions. Blackout curtains, eye shades, ear plugs, "white noise" machines and other devices can help.

• Make sure your mattress and pillow are comfortable.

  Keep in mind that the life span of a typical mattress is only about a decade.

• Don't use your bedroom for too many non-sleep activities.

  That will help to strengthen your brain's association between the bedroom and sleep.

• Avoid going to bed on a full stomach.

  Too much food or fluid can disturb sleep by causing reflux or mild sleep apnea, as well as extra trips to the bathroom. Finish eating at least two to three hours before bedtime.

• Exercise regularly, but not too late in the day.

  Regular exercise contributes to sounder sleep, but working out too close to bedtime (within three hours) raises alertness and body temperature, which can make it hard to doze off.

• Avoid caffeine or caffeine products too close to bedtime.

  For most people, "too close" can be six to eight hours before sleep; for some, it's even longer.

• Alcohol may not be the sedative you think it is.

  It might help you fall asleep, but it can make sleep less restful, particularly when you have more than a couple of drinks.

• If you're struggling to fall asleep, get out of bed.

  Move to another quiet place and read or listen to music, then return to bed when you are sleepier. When you're trying to sleep, looking at the clock can add to your anxiety. Move it out of sight if you need to.

Published Jul 1, 2007 8:00 AM