Neurosciences

Daylight-Saving Time Should Prompt Sleep Habit Evaluation

Nearly 40 percent of adults are so sleepy daily routines are affected

People living in Michigan will set their clocks ahead one hour as they head to bed on March 12. The springtime ritual is a good reminder to consider sleep habits because almost 70 million Americans suffer from sleep problems that may impact their daily lives.

 

“Despite the fact that sleep is something we all do, people still have many questions about how sleep works and how to improve their sleep,” said Nancy J. Bender Hausman, MD, medical director, Spectrum Health Sleep Disorders Center and Spectrum Health Medical Group physician. “Good sleep is critical to good health, both emotionally and physically.”

Bender Hausman offers the following insight to commonly asked sleep questions:

How much sleep does an adult need?
Most sleep experts recommend seven to nine hours each night, but sleep needs vary from one individual to another. Some people need more while others may need less. The amount of sleep adults need does not change with age, but it may become harder to get enough sleep at night due to the use of medications, painful conditions or other medical problems that can come with aging. That is one reason why older people tend to nap more frequently.

What creates a good environment for sleeping?
Avoiding temperature extremes, sleeping in a comfortable bed and avoiding any disturbing light or noises are all important. The exact mattress or pillow, the best amount of light or noise and the exact temperature is very individualized. There is no single sleep environment that is best for everyone.

What causes excessive sleepiness?
One of the primary causes of excessive sleepiness in Americans is self-imposed sleep deprivation. Sitting down and relaxing in the evening shouldn’t cause a person who is getting enough sleep to doze, even if they are bored.
“Studies suggest that inadequate sleep can increase the likelihood of health problems such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension and depression,” added Bender Hausman. “Many of us don’t make getting enough sleep at night a priority. There are others who get adequate amounts of sleep but are still sleepy during the day. Daytime sleepiness may suggest a sleep disorder or another medical condition which should be discussed with a person’s physician and/or a sleep specialist.”

Individuals concerned about sleepiness are encouraged to take a survey at spectrum-health.org/sleep. The survey uses the Epworth Sleepiness Scale to evaluate sleepiness during the day. The scale, considered an important indicator of a potential sleep disorder, was developed in 1990 by Murray Johns, MD, the founding director of the Sleep Disorders Unit at Epworth Hospital in Melbourne, Australia. Depending on the results of one’s survey, a referral to a sleep medicine specialist may be necessary.

Spectrum Health is a not-for-profit health system in West Michigan offering a full continuum of care through the Spectrum Health Hospital Group, which includes nine hospitals and more than 170 service sites; the Spectrum Health Medical Group and West Michigan Heart, physician groups totaling more than 600 providers; and Priority Health, a health plan with 600,000 members. Spectrum Health is West Michigan’s largest employer with 17,000 employees. The organization provided $115.9 million in community benefit during its 2010 fiscal year. In 2010, Spectrum Health was named a Top 10 Health System by Thomson Reuters.