Sleeping Your Way to a Longer Life

By: Edward L. Schneider, Dean, Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, MD

Dean Edward L. Schneider turns his attention to sleeping problems in this extract from his book "AgeLess". His Longevity Quotient shows how to measure the adequacy of your sleep pattern, and his New Rules will guide you in achieving a better sleep pattern.

This extract from Dean Schneider's book "AgeLess" contains his Longevity Quotient for Restorative Sleep quiz, and how to interpret your results, as well as four New Sleep Rules. Robert Griffith, Editor.

You can buy AgeLess at Amazon, just click here

Sleep More, Age Less

Many studies have looked at the relationship between sleep and aging, and they find that individuals who sleep an average of 7 to 9 hours a night have the longest life expectancy. This connection between lifetime and bedtime boils down a simple ratio: Basically, we're designed to spend a third of our lives sound asleep. Sadly - and alarmingly - getting enough sleep is a lost art. Many people consider sleep a nuisance, a brake on life in the fast lane. The National Sleep Foundation reports that the majority of Americans get less than the AgeLess recommendation of 7 to 9 hours a night. The national average clocks in at 6 hours and 54 minutes, dipping even lower during the work week. The reason that most of us don't get our nightly zzz's is that we sacrifice them to work more, and one person in ten admits that sleep is the first thing to go when time is tight.

What's Your Sleep Longevity Quotient?

Take the following quiz to delve deeper into the details of your sleep LQ. Choose the one item from each checklist that describes you best and enter the points in the "Your LQ Points" column.

Note: If you'd rather complete this Longevity Quotient quiz online, you can do so at: http://www.longevityquotient.com

		YourLQ Points	Maximum LQ Points
Priority of sleep	10 points: You always make time for a good night's sleep 8 points: You try to make time for a good night's sleep 6 points: You sometimes make time ... 4 points: You occasionally make time ... 0 points: You get a good night's sleep when you can fit It into your schedule		10
Quality of sleep	10 points: You usually get a good night's sleep and wake up refreshed 8 points: You have occasional difficulty falling/staying asleep 6 points: You have frequent difficulty falling or staying asleep 4 points: You have real trouble falling or staying asleep and occasionally need or wish for over-the-counter medications 2 points: You have insomnia and need prescription medications to get some sleep 0 points: You cannot sleep without prescription meds.		10
Quantity of sleep	10 points: You usually sleep 7 or more hours a night and wake up refreshed 8 points: You sleep 7 or more hours and often wake tired 9 points: You sleep 6 to 6.9 hours a night and wake refreshed 5 points: You sleep 6 to 6.9 hours a night and often wake tired 8 points: You usually sleep 5 to 5.9 hours a night and wake up refreshed (really?) 2 points: You usually sleep 5 to 5.9 hours a night and often wake up tired 0 points: You usually sleep less than 5 hours a night		10
Daytime alertness & naps	10 points: You usually feel refreshed and alert all day 8 points: You often feel refreshed and alert, but rarely all day long, and may take or wish for a nap 5 points: You often feel a bit sleepy, and take or wish for naps 3 points: You often feel sleepy and tired, and take naps as a result 0 points: You rarely feel truly awake		10
Relaxation before bedtime	10 points: You always relax for sleep and leave your worries and to-do lists outside the bedroom 8 points: You usually relax for sleep 5 points: You frequently relax for sleep 3 points: You usually take your worries and to-do lists to bed 0 points: You always take your worries and to-do lists to bed		10
Bedroom as a haven for sleep	10 points: Your bedroom is a sleep sanctuary 8 points: You sometimes do other things in your bedroom besides sleep (and sex) 6 points: You often do other things in your bedroom 4 points: You usually do other things in your bedroom 0 points: You always do other things in your bedroom		10
Sleep environment	10 points: Your sleeping area is designed to minimize light and sound 8 points: You've done the best you can, but your sleeping area still admits some light and/or sound that disturbs your sleep 5 points: Your sleeping area admits some light and/or sound that disturbs your sleep 3 points: You've done the best you can, but your sleeping area is still loud and/or bright and this disturbs your sleep 10 points: You don't care about light and sound in your sleeping area, but you get great sleep anyway (are you sure you aren't fooling yourself?) 0 points: You don't care about light and sound in your sleeping area, and you have a hard time sleeping		10
Light exposure	10 points: You get out into the daylight or into rooms with bright lights - every day for 30 minutes or more 8 points: - most days for 30 minutes or more 5 points: - about every other day for 30 minutes or more 3 points: - from time to time 0 points: You rarely or never get out into the daylight or into rooms with bright lights		10
Exercise	10 points: You engage in 30 minutes of exercise (walking, aerobics, weight training, etc.) every day 8 points: You engage in 30 minutes of exercise most days 5 points: You engage in 30 minutes of exercise about every other day 3 points: You engage in some exercise from time to time 0 points: You rarely or never engage in exercise		10
Stimulants	10 points: Caffeine never keeps you awake 10 points: Caffeine keeps you awake, and you strictly avoid foods and beverages that contain it long enough before sleep to prevent this 8 points: Caffeine keeps you awake, and most of the time you avoid foods and beverages that contain it before sleep 5 points: Caffeine keeps you awake, and you frequently fail to avoid foods and beverages that contain it before sleep 0 points: Caffeine keeps you awake, and you fail to avoid foods and beverages that contain it all or most of the time		10
TOTAL			100

What are your sleep habits doing for your LQ? Check my diagnosis for your score below:

LQ Score	The Dean's Diagnosis
91 - 100	Rest easy; you're a super sleeper! Keep it up and consult the strategies in this chapter if sleep problems arise in the future.
81 - 90	You're getting adequate sleep. Sleep is on your side, but you need to move it up the priority scale to optimize your LQ.
71 - 80	Too tired to follow the New Rules? You need to shift priorities. Schedule more time for sleep.
61 - 70	Sleep deprivation danger: You may be seriously deficient in nature's original revitalizer. You can't go on this way without detriment to your longevity and health.
60 and below	Red alert! You are sleep deprived and are probably suffering the consequences and risks. Read this chapter and start following the New Rules for sleep tonight.

New Sleep Rule #1: Put a Good Night's Sleep on Your Daily Calendar

It sounds obvious, but it's advice many of us need: You need to set aside the time to sleep. Just as you make time for work, family, play, exercise, community, spirituality, and friends, you need to write sleep into your schedule. A study in Sweden found that of the people who suffered from sleep deprivation, only half had actual difficulty sleeping. The other half simply didn't allow themselves a full night's sleep.

Assess Yourself, Using the AgeLess Sleep Journal.

You probably know what your bank balance is - but when was the last time you checked on your sleep deficit? My students are often surprised when they compare their perception of their sleep habits to hard reality. To assess your current sleep adequacy, make an AgeLess Sleep Journal to track your actual sleeping patterns for a week. You need a table (or spreadsheet) with the days of the week in the first column, and the following headings for the eight columns across:

Bedtime (under the covers) - enter the actual time
Time to fall asleep - 'fast' if a few mins, 'medium' up to 15', 'slow' if over 15'
Estimated asleep time - enter the estimated time
Estimated time awake during the night - enter the minutes or hours
Time arose from bed - enter the actual time
Total hours asleep - estimated asleep time to rising time, minus time awake
Wanted more? - enter 'yes', 'no', 'a little', etc
Quality of sleep - excellent, good, fair, or poor

New Sleep Rule #2: Make Adjustments for Changes in Sleep Patterns to Get Enough Sleep Throughout

Even the most health-conscious among us don't give sleep its due as a component of health. Many of us started burning the midnight oil in college, studying for that final or finishing up that paper, figuring we'd makeup for it the next day. We got away with it, then, didn't we? Well, folks, if you're over 30, those days are gone. Though you need as much sleep as ever, your ability to get it diminishes as nature begins to take back the gift of sleep she bequeathed in youth. Natural changes in brain wave activity begin to alter the shape of the sleep architecture. You spend less time in restorative deep sleep (stages three and four) and your first round of REM dreamtime shortens. It takes longer to fall asleep, and stress, the sound of traffic noise, or even the glow of your clock's digital display may be enough to wake you. Your circadian rhythms can also change, waking you up earlier and making it hard to get back to sleep. If you're like most people, you ignore these developments, suffering through sleepy days for long enough that you forget what full alertness feels like. The first step in responding to these changes is to understand that even though sleep does slip away with age, there are things you can do to get it back.

New Sleep Rule #3: Sleep Problems Can and Should be Treated

Insomnia is defined as difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep that results in tiredness the next day - but insomnia is not a disease that causes sleeplessness. It's a symptom of physical, psychological, or environmental factors that are keeping you awake. If you've despaired that you "have" insomnia, it may be reassuring to learn that many of its causes can be addressed with simple behavioral and environmental measures.

The main causes of insomnia are emotions - stress, worry, or excitement - schedule or time zone changes, and a poor sleeping environment. Some highly alert people are more sensitive to these variables than others, and we all experience different degrees of such disruptions at different times of life.

In addition to normal age-related sleep changes are actual sleep disorders - physiological sleep disruptions that aren't considered normal. The two conditions of greatest concern to doctors and sleepers are sleep-disordered breathing (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD) and 'restless legs' syndrome. Diseases such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic pain, asthma or other pulmonary disease, esophageal reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, thyroid conditions, peptic ulcer disease, dementia, prostate enlargement, and urinary incontinence can also disrupt your sleep cycle. If you think you might have any these disorders, talk to your doctor about how your condition is affecting your sleep. Some simple measures can usually help counter the sleep disturbances posed by medical conditions.

Here are the key practices that support sweet dreams:

Keep to a schedule. Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning, including weekends. If your schedule changes, gradually adjust your routine over a number of days to give your body time to adapt.
Go to bed to sleep. Don't let yourself fall asleep in front of the TV or reading in your favorite chair. Be firm with yourself. Don't lie down to watch TV if you know you'll drift off to sleep.
Use the bed only for sleep. That's right, no more reading in bed. Create a cozy nook in another room for reading and watching TV if you're used to doing these things in the comfort of bed. Exception: Amorous activities are allowed.
Don't nap. My advice is to not take naps, but there are times when a nap may be an important safety measure (if you feel drowsy and must drive, for instance). You may also be a good sleeper who welcomes a nap after being kept up at night by a sick child or car alarm. But keep it under an hour and finish by 3:00 pm.
Limit caffeine. If you're sensitive to caffeine, set your personal cutoffs for quantity and time. People have different responses, so use your sleep journal to track yours. You may find that you can enjoy a few cups of coffee as long as you stop by 4:00 pm, for instance, or that you need to stick to one cup and drink it before noon in order to get a good night' s sleep.
Avoid nicotine close to bedtime and during the night, since it is a stimulant.
Finish vigorous exercise by 2 to 6 hours before bedtime; use your sleep journal to find your own window of time. Stretching or yoga is fine and may help you to relax.
Don't eat a heavy meal right before bed. If you're hungry, try a light snack such as a piece of toast with honey, or better still, a few slices of turkey or a glass of warm milk about an hour before bedtime. Both contain L-tryptophan, a wonderful natural sleep enhancer. Milk must be heated to make the tryptophan active.
Stop drinking liquids an hour or so before bed to prevent trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
Take a time-out. What if all your good sleep hygiene habits fail to send you off to slumber-land? That's the time to take a time-out from bed.

If you don't fall asleep after 15 minutes of trying (or of waking up in the middle of the night), get out of bed and do something quiet in another room with a light on - read, listen to soft music or a book on tape, knit, or write. Return to bed only when you feel drowsy. Repeat this time-out for every 15-minute period of wakefulness. Get up at the usual time the following morning.

You may be tired on the days following time-outs, but you would be anyway - and your breaks from the bedroom yield two lasting benefits. First, you follow your circadian rhythms so that tomorrow night's weariness will promote sleep. Second, just saying no to lying awake in bed conditions your body and brain to sleep when you're there - a strong behavioral link that you may never have made before. Be cautious if you're driving or engaging in other activities requiring quick reflexes on the day after a wakeful night.

Research has found that this simple wakefulness break routine can help you overcome even chronic insomnia, provided there' s no underlying medical disorder. It may take up to a few weeks to break your old pattern and establish a new one, but the effort and the short-term low energy days will pay off in a better sleep that can last for a (longer) lifetime.

New Sleep Rule #4: Don't nap!

Naps are necessary for babies and tempting to grownups after a nice big lunch. Naps are also sometimes promoted as a productivity tool, with some corporations installing special nap rooms where sleepy employees can drop in for a snooze. Is this new nap consciousness good news for health-enhancing sleep?

For many people the answer is no, especially if you have any sort of sleep problems. Naps can upset your body clock, keeping you awake and alert at bedtime. And the payoff isn't much. A nap is too short to cycle you through all the deep sleep and dream states you need to realize the benefits of sleep. Though you may feel temporarily refreshed afterward, a nap just slaps a Band-Aid on your sleep debt. At the end of the day, you lose.

And now . . .Have an AgeLess Day!

What you do all day can affect your nightly sleep. Keep these tips in mind so you can spend the night revitalizing with deep, long, healthy sleep.

- Get up at your regular time, 7 to 9 hours after you fell asleep.
- Get out into the bright daylight to set your circadian rhythms for restful sleep.
- Work out vigorously, the earlier in the day the better.
- Challenge your mind with mental activities such as reading, writing, socializing, games, analyses, and puzzles.
- Relax or meditate to relieve stress.
- Seek help for dysphoria or depression if you often feel sad or hopeless.
- Stop stimulants such as coffee or chocolate at your own cut-off time.
- Unwind in the final hour or so before bedtime. Turn off the television, turn on some soft music, dim the lights, soak in a hot bath, use relaxation or meditation techniques, and steer clear of tomorrow's to-do list.
- Get to bed on time. If you've followed the preceding steps, you should feel delightfully drowsy. Sweet dreams . . .

The next extract from "AgeLess" gives Dean Schneider the chance to express his views on 'keeping engaged'.

Source

Schneider EL. AgeLess. Take Control of Your Age and Stay Youthful for life. Rodale, CA, USA. 2003 http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1579546218/healthandagecom/

Links

Created on: 08/12/2003
Reviewed on: 04/06/2009

HealthandAge

Search