Spectrum Health West Michigan

What Difference Can an Extra Hour of Sleep Make?

Spectrum Health Lists Benefits as Daylight Saving Time Ends

Daylight Saving Time (DST) ends at 2 a.m. this Sunday, Nov. 4. This is the weekend when people will be adjusting their clocks and watches and happily anticipating the chance to enjoy an “extra” hour of sleep. But what difference can an extra hour of sleep make, anyway?

According to experts at Spectrum Health, it’s something to celebrate.

“It’s really hard to overestimate the benefit of sleep,” says Nancy Bender-Hausman, MD, division chief, sleep medicine, Spectrum Health Medical Group, Spectrum Health Sleep Disorders Center. “Since most people, particularly adults, don’t get enough sleep on a regular basis, one hour can impact both their health and the quality of their life.”

Bender-Hausman says that most adults need eight hours of sleep a night. Children do best with at least 10 hours, while teens and young adults still need nine hours a night to be fully rested. Spectrum Health has a sleep test posted online that can help people determine if they are getting enough sleep.

  • A good night’s sleep has many benefits:
  • Overall alertness
  • Higher productivity
  • Successful weight control
  • Safer driving
  • Better attitude
  • Improved memory
  • Lower stress Better health. Good sleep has been linked to fewer, less severe colds, improved heart health and even a positive impact on Type 2 diabetes.

“There is more and more research linking a good night’s sleep to better health. We hope people are getting the message and make sure to use this extra hour to sleep, not play or work,” said Bender-Hausman.

With nine locations for sleep assessment and testing, Spectrum Health’s network of sleep centers is the largest in West Michigan, providing the only pediatric testing facility.

The public is invited to attend Spectrum Health Sleep Disorders Center information sessions about sleep. No reservations are necessary.

• Monday, November 5, Butterworth Hospital, Room 1710 B, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• Monday, November 5, Butterworth Hospital, Room 1710 B, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Thursday, November 8, Blodgett Hospital, Room 6C-23, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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 is comprised of nine hospitals including Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, a state of the art children’s hospital that opened in January 2011, and 183 service sites; the Spectrum Health Medical Group and West Michigan Heart, physician groups totaling more than 700 providers; and Priority Health, a health plan with 600,000 members. Spectrum Health is West Michigan’s largest employer with 19,000 employees. The organization provided $204 million in community benefit during its 2012 fiscal year.