The third foundational principle of health is “REST”. In my conversations with patients I have
found that many people do not value sleep and rest (especially in the United
States). Our culture seems to tell people
that if they are not filling every moment of the day with activities they are
not successful. This can lead to a
feeling of exhaustion and may result in a breakdown of health over time. Many people do not know that adults needs (on
average) about 7-8 hours of sleep per night and that there are fairly easy
strategies they can use to make their sleep time more restful and
satisfying. These strategies are
collectively called “sleep hygiene”. Some
highlights include keeping the lights low for about an hour before going to
bed, limiting caffeine and other stimulants for about 4-6 hours before bedtime,
and getting about 30 min of exercise early in the day. One of the best times of the day to be active
is between the hours of 5-7 PM, preferably outdoors. The last rays of the day’s sun will stimulate
the melatonin producing pineal gland in the brain. This keeps your sleep-wake cycles on the right
track so that it is less likely that you will wake in the early hours of the
morning. Also, there is ongoing research
about the health benefits of getting enough sleep. At this point a connection of sleep and
learning is well established. In
addition, newer findings show that getting less than 6 hours of sleep each
night, over time, leads to problems with obesity, cardiovascular disease, poor
mood, and difficulty controlling blood sugar.
It makes sense as sleep should account for about one third of our 24
hour day!
In addition to sleep, time for the mind to rest is very
important. When the brain experiences
stress it needs time to recover, just as the body does. If the body runs five miles and then rests,
it will become stronger for the next run.
When the mind experiences stress and has time to recover and reflect, it
will likewise enhance learning, peace, and reset for the next challenge. Some restful strategies for the mind are:
time for sitting quietly and reflecting (meditation and time in nature), yoga,
or listening to music. The mind needs
time to drift and imagine. Many also use
prayer as a time to meditate as well. Unplug
your favorite electronic device, take some time to reflect. What is good for the mind is good for the
body!
Maria Motta FNP
Michael Fuller MD
