| "April 1st kicks off Stress Awareness Month, a national, joint effort to inform people about the prevalence of stress in our society, the dangers it poses, and successful coping strategies. It should come as no surprise that people are more stressed today than ever before. This is due to the countless demands that are being placed on people from all angles, including home and at the workplace. In order to feel their best and to better manage a frenetic "To Do" list, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) reminds everyone to not bring their worries to bed with them and to get the required amount of sleep each night. " " On many occasions, the stress created by a seemingly never-ending list of obligations can prevent people from getting a good night's sleep. A lack of sleep can, in turn, affect one's physical health, emotional well-being, mental abilities, productivity and performance. " " "We live in an increasingly complex and worry-filled society, in which the juggling of work and family responsibilities has become more difficult," said Clete A. Kushida, MD, PhD, RPSGT, of Stanford University's Sleep Disorders Clinic and AASM sleep expert. "There is no doubt that stress plays a role in one's ability to fall and stay asleep. Establishing a pattern of relaxing behaviors (e.g., meditation, a warm bath) close to bedtime and limiting work to the early evening may help to reduce stress." " " Ralph Downey III, PhD, of Loma Linda University's Sleep Disorders Center in Loma Linda, Calif., and an AASM sleep expert, says that stress and sleep mix like oil and water, and because of this, the importance of sleep getting an upper-hand on stress is critical to maintaining one's well-being. " " "Sleep and stress are competitors. When stress is continually activating a part of the brain that is otherwise used for sleep, then stress wins the tug-of-war. If we can reduce stress and/or enhance the sleep drive, then sleep has a better chance of winning the tug-of-war," said Downey. "Although no one can live a stress-free life in the modern world, with enough practice one can master the techniques necessary for combating and promoting sleep." " " According to Dr. Downey, if you can't shut your mind off when lying in bed for more than 20 minutes, get out of bed and go to a comfortable area and refrain from participating in such activities as reading or surfing the Internet. Once 20 minutes have passed, go
... read the whole article |