How To Health

Think of everything you do during your day. Try to guess which
activity is so important you should devote one-third of your time to
doing it. Probably the first things that come to mind are working,
spending time with your family, or pursuing leisure activities. But
there’s something else you should be doing about one-third of your
time—sleeping.

Many people view sleep as merely a “down time” when their brain
shuts off and their body rests. In a rush to meet work, school,
family, or household responsibilities, people cut back on their sleep,
thinking it won’t be a problem, because all of these other activities
seem much more important. But research reveals that a number of
vital tasks carried out during sleep help to maintain good health and
enable people to function at their best.

While you sleep, your brain is hard at work forming the pathways
necessary for learning and creating memories and new insights.
Without enough sleep, you can’t focus and pay attention or respond
quickly. A lack of sleep may even cause mood problems. In addition,
growing evidence shows that a chronic lack of sleep increases
the risk for developing obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and
infections.

Despite the mounting support for the notion that adequate sleep,
like adequate nutrition and physical activity, is vital to our wellbeing,
people are sleeping less. The nonstop “24/7” nature of the
world today encourages longer or nighttime work hours and offers
continual access to entertainment and other activities. To keep up,
people cut back on sleep. A common myth is that people can learn
to get by on little sleep (such as less than 6 hours a night) with no
adverse consequences. Research suggests, however, that adults need
at least 7–8 hours of sleep each night to be well rested. Indeed, in
1910, most people slept 9 hours a night. But recent surveys show
the average adult now sleeps less than 7 hours a night, and more

than one-third of adults report daytime sleepiness so severe that it
interferes with work and social functioning at least a few days each
month. As many as 70 million Americans may be affected by chronic
sleep loss or sleep disorders, at an annual cost of $16 billion in
health care expenses and $50 billion in lost productivity.

What happens when you don’t get enough sleep? Can you make up
for lost sleep during the week by sleeping more on the weekends?
How does sleep change as you become older? Is snoring a problem?
How can you tell if you have a sleep disorder? Read on to find the
answers to these questions and to better understand what sleep is
and why it is so necessary. Learn about common sleep myths and
practical tips for getting adequate sleep, coping with jet lag and
nighttime shift work, and avoiding dangerous drowsy driving.
Many common sleep disorders go unrecognized and thus are not
treated. This booklet also gives the latest information on sleep
disorders such as insomnia, sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome,
narcolepsy, and parasomnias.

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