Environmental Manipulations for Improved Sleep

When most of us think about our overall health and wellness, two words likely come to mind: diet and exercise. Consuming more whole foods and less processed foods is an important aspect of our health, as is engaging in daily physical activity. However, even the healthiest of eaters and most consistent exercisers will likely have deficits in their overall health and well-being if they are unable to get adequate sleep each night.

A good night's sleep is important for a multitude of reasons; sleep disruptions have both short- and long-term consequences that negatively impact our overall health. Examples of short-term consequences of sleep disruption include “increased stress levels, somatic pain, reduced quality of life, emotional distress, mood disorders, and cognitive, memory, and performance deficits,” (Medic et al., 2017). Examples of long-term consequences of sleep disruption include “hypertension, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, weight-related issues, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and colorectal cancer", (Medic et al., 2017).

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 50-70 million adults in the United States have a sleep disorder. The CDC also notes that one-third of adults living in the United States reportedly get less than the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep each night. Ensuring you get an adequate amount of sleep each night can help protect your mental health, physical health, overall quality of life, and safety. Sleep helps us maintain a healthy balance of hormones that control hunger or fullness. Sleep affects how our bodies react to insulin – the hormone that controls our blood glucose levels, – supports healthy growth and development, and helps ensure our immune system stays healthy. Individuals who are sleep-deprived are often less productive at work and school, take longer to finish tasks, and have a slower reaction time.

When trying to improve the amount of sleep you get each night it is important to think about your current “sleep hygiene” routine. The American Council on Exercise refers to sleep hygiene as “habits that help promote adequate high-quality sleep.” When examining this through a behavioral lens, improving our sleep hygiene routine often involves manipulating antecedent events. Some antecedent manipulates that may help increase sleep are listed below.

1. Developing a consistent sleep routine and schedule

2. Refrain from using electronics after a predetermined time

3. refrain from completing work-related tasks after a pre-determined time

4. Avoid caffeine and alcohol after a predetermined time

5. Try and separate from your thoughts
   

For more help on how to improve your sleep, book a session with Potterhouse today!

References

• Medic, G., Wille, M., & Hemels, M. E. (2017). Short- and long-term health consequences of sleep disruption. Nature and science of sleep, 9, 151–161. https://doi.org/10.2147/NSS.S134864

• hsfsig.org