Nearly one third of all Americans are sleep deprived, meaning they consistently get less than six hours of sleep each night on average. This statistic alone was staggering.
The first article I ever wrote on this platform focused on sleep — or more importantly, my lack of it. My relationship with sleep is tricky; I love it, and yet, like many others, I can never commit to getting enough of it… even when I’m not necessarily busy. (Somehow, there’s always something more entertaining to do). Yet we sleep — or we’re supposed to — for around a third of our lifetime. It’s just that important. During sleep, several key things occur: the body detoxes, memory consolidation takes place, tissue repair is promoted, and the immune system revitalizes. These are just a few of the crucial functions that restore balance during our rest phase.
While I’ve always been aware of the importance of a regular sleep schedule, it wasn’t until I took a class in my final semester in college that I understood just how vital it is to our longevity and holistic wellness. Biological Clocks is a class taught at A&M by one of the most well-renowned scientists in her field. Dr. Bell-Pedersen studies circadian rhythms in the fungus Neurospora crassa, and her research has made significant contributions to the field of clocks.
Over the course of her lectures, I gained insight into the principal, molecular, and social characteristics and impact of the biological clock that runs endogenously in each of us. But it was the importance of coordination between the clock, sleep, and sleep timing that I resonated with most.
It was on a particular Monday in March that we had the opportunity to hear more about sleep from a very prominent guest speaker. From statistics and real-life experiences to common misconceptions about widely available sleep medications, it was truly eye-opening how much knowledge we lack on this subject — and how vital it is to sustaining a high quality of life. Uninterrupted and restful sleep can quite literally add years back to our lives, reducing our risk of developing diseases like dementia, heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes.
On a final note, I wanted to highlight some very simple advice he wanted us to take home:
- Limit exposure to blue (white) light at night
- Get regular exercise or some form of movement
- Avoid consumption of caffeine late at night
- Optimize the comfort of your sleeping environment
- Dampen all extraneous noise
- Enforce consistent/regular sleep times and aim for ~8 hours of sleep
I wholeheartedly believe that sleep is nature’s medicine, and the points above are definitely a step toward prioritizing wellness. The sleep habits we create and follow now are the ones we’ll be grateful for with each passing decade.