Illustration by Vidhya Nagarajan
“We have terrible sleep habits on the whole,” says Dr. Kelvin Yamada, director of Washington University’s Sleep Medicine Center. “We have dramatic schedules, we work and play at night, and with the digital age, there’s constant communication. Our society has these things that are kind of working against us.” That lack of sleep can have some major consequences—even beyond being sleepy the next day. “We believe that each sleep stage plays a role in your brain and body recuperating,” says Dr. Joseph Espiritu, who oversees the SLUCare Sleep Disorders Center. “For example, during deep sleep, our immune system is reconstituted—people deprived of it are at higher risk of viral infections. We also believe that dream sleep’s important with consolidating memory, so everything you learned that day will be integrated with your previous experiences and you’ll have a more coherent body of knowledge.” As Yamada says, “You don’t just shut your brain off—it’s a very active process.” Here are some ways to ensure you get more Z’s.
Exercise in the morning. “Physical activity is better overall,” says Yamada. “Also, getting daylight on you in the morning is good for training that internal clock.”
Unwind at night. “Some people need a wind-down time,” explains Yamada. “Try not to think about tomorrow’s problems.”
Resist late-night snacks. “If you eat two or three hours before bed,” says Espiritu, “you can develop acid reflux.”
Curb stimulants. Caffeine and nicotine keep you awake. It’s best to pass on them before bedtime.
Avoid alcohol before bed. “Although it helps you fall asleep quickly, you start to develop more fragmented, disrupted sleep,” says Espiritu. “It changes your sleep architecture, so you spend less time on deeper stages of sleep.”
Limit the bed to sleep and sex. “A lot of people may have insomnia or trouble sleeping because they do other things in bed,” says Espiritu. “Patients watch TV, read on their iPads, do work. The bed becomes a place of activity, and they become conditioned to stay awake.”
Don’t overdo it. “Some people spend too much time in bed,” says Espiritu. “They’re in bed for 10 or 12 hours and wondering why they can’t sleep at night. Their sleep becomes inefficient because they’re spending too much time in bed.”
Listen to yourself. “If you allow it,” says Espiritu, “your body will tell you how much time you need.”
SLEEP CENTERS
Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital
636-916-9739
Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital
314-996-8680
Clayton Sleep Institute
314-645-5855
Mercy Sleep Center
314-251-7394
SLUCare Sleep Disorders Center
314-977-5337
SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center
314-268-6413
SSM DePaul Health Center
314-770-0809
SSM St. Clare Health Center
636-496-2820
SSM St. Joseph Health Center
636-947-5165
SSM St. Joseph Hospital West
636-755-3060
SSM St. Mary’s Health Center
314-644-0016
St. Anthony’s Medical Center
314-525-7280
St. Luke’s Hospital
314-205-6030; 314-205-6777
Washington University
314-362-4342
