By Franciscan Health
Sleep plays an important role in our health, especially for golfers with early morning tee times. A good night’s sleep is like a charger, helping the body to recover and energizing one to tackle a new day and a new round of golf.
The eye-opening reality is that nearly half of adult and youngsters in the United States report they feel sleepy during the day between three to seven days each week, according to the Sleep Foundation.
“We use sleep to help mitigate many underlying conditions such as hypertension and congestive heart failure,” said Tapan A. Desai, MD, a pulmonologist with Franciscan Physician Network who practices in Crown Point, Indiana. “Many underlying chronic medical conditions may be impacted by chronic sleep disorders.”
How Many Hours Do I Need? 
“It varies, depending on age groups,” said Meredith W. Cousin, MD, who leads the Franciscan Health Sleep Center in Indianapolis and is a member of JWM Neurology. “Adults 18 and older should get seven to nine hours sleep daily.”
Dr. Cousin also recommends that teens need eight to 10 hours sleep; school-age youngsters need nine to 12 hours; and preschoolers need 10 to 13 hours.
Common Disorders and Treatments
One of the most common disorders is obstructive sleep apnea, which affects 26 percent of Americans between the ages of 30 and 70. This occurs when throat muscles intermittently relax and block your airway during sleep. A noticeable sign of obstructive sleep apnea is snoring. A sleep study is required to establish a diagnosis prior to treatment.
Insomnia is another problem, and its sources include stress, an irregular sleep schedule, poor sleeping habits, mental health disorders like anxiety and depression, physical illnesses and pain medications.
Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia can help control or eliminate negative thoughts and actions that keep you awake and is generally recommended as the primary treatment for people with insomnia. Other approaches include appropriate medications to improve sleep, patients keeping diaries to document their experiences and relaxation and meditation exercise.
“Sleep disorders are still underdiagnosed because patients don’t always let their primary care providers know what’s going on so a disorder can be further investigated,” said Dr. Cousin.
Key Tips for Better Sleep
- Devote hours before bed to relaxing activities and pursuits;
- Thirty minutes before going to bed, practice relaxation techniques such as meditation, non-active yoga and journaling;
- Go to bed the same time every night and wake up at the same time every day;
- Avoid heavy meals close to bedtime. A light snack may help to induce sleep;
- Regular exercise in the late afternoon may deepen sleep, however, vigorous exercise within 3-4 hours of bedtime may interfere with sleep;
- Minimize noise, light and excessive temperature during sleep. A white noise machine may help block out extra sound;
- Turn off noisy distractions such as televisions and cell phones;
- Avoid nicotine near bedtime and upon awakening in the middle of the night;
- Discontinue caffeine 6 – 8 hours prior to bedtime and minimize total daily use.
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