The ability of the human body to heal and recover is nothing short of amazing. The body has an innate way of healing and thriving. Sleep is one of the most important aspects to thriving and aging well. Your body thrives on a routine, so preparing for bed shouldn’t be any different than your other daily routines.
Although I am not a sleep expert, I have regular discussions with my physical therapy clients regarding sleep quality and hygiene. Adequate sleep is one of the most important components to a person’s recovery post illness and injury in addition to thriving and aging well.
Most research shows that on average, a person requires between 7-9 hours of sleep. Although there are different stages of sleep cycles, a typical sleep cycle lasts between 70-120 minutes. The actual amount of sleep needed will vary and is dependent on how long your particular cycles are.
It’s interesting to note that if you wake up just as you are coming out of a sleep cycle that you will typically feel more rested and alert. On the other hand, if you wake at the start or halfway through a cycle, you will probably wake up feeling tired and grumpy (hence the term “waking up on the wrong side of the bed”). We should probably term this “waking up on the wrong half of the sleep cycle” instead.
If you are recovering from illness, surgery or injury it is advisable to sleep and rest more than you typically would. This shouldn’t be confused with bed rest though. As a physical therapist, I rarely encourage bed rest, but at times, bed rest can be medically necessary.
Activity and frequent movement balanced with adequate sleep is the key. Many important body processes occur while you sleep. One of the most important aspects of sleep is how it affects your hormonal regulation. Hormones, such as human growth hormone (HGH), play a critical role in how you will recover from injury. Adequate rest and sleep is necessary for HGH and other critical hormone systems to be at the optimal level.
Poor sleep or inadequate amounts of sleep not only affect the healing response, but are also a risk factor for many chronic diseases and illnesses including:
- Metabolic syndrome
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Depression
- Chronic pain
- Dementia
How to Improve Your Sleep Quality
In order to insure quality sleep in general, be proactive about the environment you sleep in and how you prepare to sleep. This is known as your sleep hygiene.
The following tips can help you to get a better night of rest:
- Avoid caffeine later in the day.
- Black out your room. Darkness sends important hormonal signals to the brain to prepare for sleep. Even small amounts of light can disrupt sleep patterns, so cover up any potential sources of lights (even those that may be present on smoke detectors or electronic equipment).
- Avoid any use of electronic equipment for at least two hours before bed as the light (in particular, the blue light) emitted by the screen is very stimulatory to your system. If you have to work on a computer or choose to TV in the evenings, then wearing blue light blocking glasses may be helpful.
- Avoid watching TV for at least two hours prior to bed as the light emitted by the screen is also stimulatory.
- Establish a rule of no electronic equipment in your bedroom. Many of us feel as though we must have our TV or tablet, but your sleep quality will improve without it.
- Do not read or watch anything (like the evening news) that would be stimulating or anxiety producing prior to bed.
- Try supplementing with magnesium prior to bed. Many medical providers now state that a growing amount of people are deficient in the amount of magnesium they consume on a regular basis. Magnesium can help reduce muscle soreness and improve your quality of sleep. Talk to your medical professional about adding additional magnesium supplementation.
- Get on a schedule. Your body thrives on a routine, so preparing for bed shouldn’t be any different than your other daily routines. Try to go to bed at the same time each day. In order to increase your time sleeping, go to bed a little earlier (like 5-10 minutes) each day versus sleeping in longer in the morning. Try to gain extra rest at the beginning, not the end, of the sleep cycles.
- Keep your room cooler. If your room temperature is too hot, you are likely not to sleep well. Usually cooler is better than warmer, but not cold.
- Get regular exercise. Regular exercise can help to keep you on a good sleep schedule. Just don’t exercise right before bed. When recovering from an injury, the type of exercise may vary and is dependent on your specific injury.
If you are recovering from illness, surgery or injury and your rehabilitation is starting to slow down or just not progressing like you would expect, taking a look at your sleep quality is an important next step.
An adequate amount of sleep shouldn’t be considered a luxury. It’s as a critical component to thriving and aging well. Don’t underestimate the importance of sleep!
Written by: Ben Shatto
Editor’s Note: This article was written by Ben Shatto, PT, DPT, OCS. Ben is a physical therapist and Executive Director of Bluebird Home Health as well as the founder and editor of the website www.thePhysicalTherapyAdvisor.com. His website is dedicated to help proactive adults of all ages to understand how to safely self-treat and manage common musculoskeletal, neurological, and mobility related conditions in a timely manner so they can reach their optimal health.