Tampa General Hospital

"THE AMOUNT OF SLEEP REQUIRED BY THE AVERAGE PERSON IS FIVE MINUTES MORE." — American playwright Wilson Mizener FIVE WAYS MORE SLEEP WILL MAKE YOU HEALTHIER We all know that a lack of sleep can make us groggy and unfocused, but the consequences go far beyond that. People who aren't getting adequate sleep are at greater risk for all kinds of medical problems. Most recently, a new study by the American Heart Association found that sleep disorders may contribute to the risk of heart disease. Karel Calero, MD, assistant professor of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, practices at Tampa General Hospital's Sleep Disorders Center. He gives these reasons to get more sleep: 1. You'll lose weight. When you don't get enough Z's, your body produces less of an appetite-regulating hormone called leptin. It also produces more of a hormone called ghrelin, which stimulates your appetite for carbohydrates, sugars and fats. 2. You'll think more clearly. Sleeping cleans up neurotoxins that build up in your brain during waking hours. Sleep loss impairs your cognitive abilities. Studies show that sleep-deprived people are noticeably worse at solving math or logic problems. 3. You'll get sick less often. When you're sleeping, your body releases proteins called cytokines that help fight off infections. Researchers have found that people who sleep fewer than six hours a night are four times as likely to catch a cold as people who sleep for at least seven hours. 4. You'll live longer. Multiple studies have found that people who chronically get insufficient sleep are far more likely to develop serious health problems such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. 5. Your memory will be better. Researchers have found that sleep is necessary for memory consolidation. When people get a good night's sleep after learning new information, they do better on tests than those who didn't sleep well. The benefits of a good night's sleep don't stop there, Dr. Calero points out. Researchers say that getting adequate sleep will give you a better mood, better sex life, better pain tolerance and a lower risk of injury. GOT SLEEP? If you're having difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or feeling well-rested the next day, you're showing signs of insomnia. Bouts of it can come and go, but chronic insomnia can affect your health and quality of life. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute describes two types of insomnia: primary and secondary. Primary insomnia doesn't appear to have an obvious medical cause and can last at least a month. Secondary insomnia can be caused by other issues, such as gastrointestinal problems, medical conditions or just behavioral factors, including an irregular sleep schedule or use of electronics before bed. Karel Calero, MD, assistant professor of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, practices at Tampa General Hospital's Sleep Disorders Center. Try his tips for a good night's sleep: Stick to a regular sleeping schedule — Try not to throw off the rhythm of waking and sleeping with late nights. Exercise regularly — A recent study published in Mental Health and Physical Activity found a 65 percent increase in sleep quality for men and women who got 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each week. Limit screen time and caffeine before bed — The National Sleep Foundation recommends you turn off devices an hour before bed and says caffeine can affect your sleep for as long as six hours. If you can't remember the last time you had a full night's sleep, a sleep specialist can help you find the cause and address it so you can rest easy. READ MORE ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF SLEEP. VISIT 4HEALTHIER.ME/TGH-MORE-SLEEP. 4 tgh.org / summer 2017

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