Experts reveal the best method for getting enough sleep
PHOENIX (KSAZ) - How much sleep do you get each night?
For many people, it's far less than the eight hours recommended by the experts. While many know getting a good night's sleep is important, in our fast-paced lives and our addiction to smart phones and electronics, however, it's becoming less of a priority for a lot of us.
Sleep experts say one of the biggest reasons is that we simply can't put down our devices, and that has a real impact on the quality of our sleep.
"So people know it, but they won't change their behavior," said Dr. Ruchir Patel with the Insomnia and Sleep Institute of Arizona. Dr. Patel is a sleep specialist, and his clinics help people who suffer from various sleep disorders.
"It's supposed to be a time that you're supposed to zone out and close your eyes and fall asleep," said Dr. Patel. "Obviously, anything that you're doing in bed that could be engaging your mind is going to distract your mind away from going to bed, which is counter-intuitive."
One of the biggest culprits when it comes to getting enough shut-eye is smartphones and other devices that we just can't seem to put down or turn off.
"I think most of us are guilty of, at some point, having a phone out before we go to bed to check an email, or check this, and most of us nowadays use our smart phones as our alarms so it's always laying next to us," said Dr. Patel. "I think a lot of people nowadays, including myself, use it to unwind, but I think over the last couple of years, we've kind of come to the conclusion it's not the best way to unwind."
Dr. Patel says not getting enough sleep not only leaves you foggy the next morning, but it can be much more serious than that.
"It actually can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, cardiovascular issues, depression, mood, so a multitude of issues," said Dr. Patel.
Studies also show the blue wavelength light emitted from our electronic devices decrease the production of melatonin in our brains, or the main hormone that activates the process of sleep. Adding to that, the scrolling through news feeds right before bed, which doesn't exactly soothe your mind.
"So yeah, it could definitely trigger a person that was feeling calm and relaxed to feel irritable, anxious, angry and depressed, and that, of course, could change the way the brain is going to be able to relax to get to sleep as well," said Dr. Patel.
When it comes to our devices at bedtime, Dr. Patel has a dose of tough love.
"The best thing to do is what my wife does," said Dr. Patel. "She leaves her phone downstairs in the kitchen, and does not bring it next to the bed."
One more thing the doctor recommends: if you want to read something before bed, pick up a book or a magazine with a topic that's light, and try to keep electronics out of the bedroom.