Dreaming of a Good Night’s Sleep?

Trouble falling or staying asleep is a common complaint among women. Stress, depression, menstruation, pregnancy and menopause are common contributors to both shortterm and chronic insomnia. Other culprits include sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome and asthma.

According to Robert Zaccagnini, MD, specializing in pulmonary disease and internal medicine at Excela Health, prescription drugs can interfere with a good night’s sleep, too. “Quite often, sleeping pills can worsen chronic sleep deprivation by keeping individuals from entering the deep stages of sleep, such as the REM stage, which are the restorative sleep stages. It’s comparable to applying the brake to your car; the vehicle will stop moving, but until you shut the engine off, the motor does not cool down and rest.”

Wake Up to These Risks

• depression
• mood swings
• fatigue-related car crashes
• weight problems
• accidents on the job
• marriage difficulties

Dr. Zaccagnini notes that research shows getting too little sleep may hurt a woman’s heart, too. Women who regularly slept five or fewer hours a night had an 82 percent higher heart attack risk than those who slept eight hours. And women who got just six hours nightly had a 30 percent higher risk.

But those who slept more than eight hours also were more likely to have a heart attack. Researchers are still unclear on the exact link between sleep and heart health; however, Dr. Zaccagnini points out that “we clearly have scientific evidence to show that untreated sleep apnea causes an increased risk of heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure.”

Help Yourself to Better Nights

• Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol for four to six hours prior to bedtime — or eliminate them altogether, advises Dr. Zaccagnini.
• Exercise for 20 to 30 minutes a day, preferably several hours before going to bed.
• Try not to take naps.
• Avoid eating heavy meals close to bedtime.
• Relax before bed with a book, soft music or a warm bath.
• If you can’t get to sleep within about 20 minutes, get up and do something relaxing until you feel sleepy.
• If you find that you lie awake worrying about things, make a “to-do” list before going to bed. This may allow you to temporarily let go of these worries.
• Make sure your bedroom is dark, quiet and not too hot or too cold.
• Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, if possible.
• If you continue to have trouble falling or staying asleep, talk to your doctor.

“Overall, correction of a sleep problem will help a person function more productively,” added Dr. Zaccagnini. “Uncontrollable or difficult-to-manage high blood pressure is one of the subtle signs of unrecognized sleep apnea. Not only does treating sleep apnea improve your blood pressure, it’s one of the simplest steps you can take to improve your overall health.”