Battling Sleep Deprivation, One Night at a Time

By Jag Sunderram, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Medical Director at The Comprehensive Sleep Disorders Center, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

More than one-third of Americans report that they do not get enough rest at night. With a nation falling far below the recommended levels for sleep, a sleep deprivation crisis is slowly taking root in our lives, and our culture.

Sleep deprivation is classified as a lack of adequate sleep or a lack of good quality sleep. The body is dependent on a certain amount of rest to function and develop correctly. When we don’t get enough quality rest, we begin to experience harmful symptoms such as daytime drowsiness, irritability and lack of focus. To avoid these symptoms, the National Sleep Foundation recommends putting down the coffee and getting more complete cycles of REM sleep (rapid-eye movement, the dreaming stage) and non-REM sleep (deep or slow-wave sleep). These important phases can be interrupted by an irregular body clock, poor quality rest and lack of sleep, which prevents the body from appropriately repairing muscles, consolidating memory and releasing hormones. If sleep deprivation progresses over time, the body can experience a serious decline in health, ultimately causing high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and obesity.

Some possible effects of sleep deprivation include:

• Irritability

• Depression

• Lack of concentration

• Delay in reaction time

• Fatigue

• Forgetfulness

• Health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, obesity and heart attack

By allowing yourself to become chronically sleep deprived, you are not only putting your productivity and health at risk, but also putting everyone around you at risk as well. In fact, over 100,000 reported car accidents each year are caused by fatigue or drowsiness behind the wheel. This results in over 1,500 deaths each year, a fate that can be prevented just by going to bed earlier and implementing better sleep habits.

To prevent sleep deprivation, dedicate yourself to getting enough quality, uninterrupted rest for your age and lifestyle. For adults, this is between 7-9 hours per night. To achieve better, more meaningful sleep, consider adopting a couple of these strategies into your lifestyle:

· Create a consistent sleep schedule

· Refrain from electronics, exercise or other engaging activities before bed

· Use your bed for sleep and not for lounging or working

· Avoid caffeine or alcohol late in the day

· Utilize naps

· Sleep in a cool, dark and comfortable room

To help the community learn about how they can better their sleep habits for a healthier lifestyle, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital is hosting Healthfest 2016 on Tuesday, June 28 from 5:30 p.m.- 9 p.m. at The Imperia, located at 1714 Easton Avenue in Somerset, N.J. Headlined by Arianna Huffington, Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Huffington Post, Healthfest 2016 will feature themes from Huffington’s book, The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life, One Night at a Time. Priyanka S. Yadav, DO, Sleep Medicine Specialist at The Sleep Center, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset, and myself, will be presenting information about this health topic. This event is open to the public. The cost of admission, dinner and a copy of Huffington’s book is $25. Individuals interested in attending should register at 1-888-MD-RWJUH.

If you suspect that you or someone you know may be suffering from a sleep disorder, I urge you to speak to your doctor about the symptoms and problems you are experiencing to improve your overall health and safety. Accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the RWJ Comprehensive Sleep Disorders Center provides quality care for patients suffering from sleep disorders. Using the latest technology, equipment and techniques, RWJUH treats a variety of disorders in patients as young as one month old and in adults with sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome and narcolepsy. For more information about the RWJ Comprehensive Sleep Center, call 888-SFL-REST or visit http://www.rwjuh.edu/sleepcenter/.

For more information about Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, visit www.rwjuh.edu or call 1-888-MD-RWJUH.