Sleep and Stress

Sleep and Stress
Management
The previous sections have highlighted
the myriad benefits that
are possible when one embraces a
physically active lifestyle and enjoys
healthy food selections. In addition
to these areas of physical wellness,
sleep and stress influence health
and, given the significant potential
impact, are included here.
Influence of Sleep
If you struggle with getting a good
night’s sleep, you are not alone.
Chronic sleep loss or sleep disorders are estimated to affect up to 70 million people
(15). Obtaining adequate sleep—in terms of both quantity and quality—contributes to
how you feel and function. A restful night of sleep provides the energy and alertness
necessary to handle daily challenges. In contrast, the lack of adequate sleep negatively
affects productivity, relationships, and physical health.
Sleep is important for many reasons and significantly affects many dimensions of
wellness and quality of life. Sleep requirements vary from person to person, but in
general, adults typically need between 7 and 8 hours per night to feel well rested (15).
For a helpful visual on typical sleep requirements across the age spectrum see figure
1.4 (18). Although some adults can function normally on less sleep, others may require
significantly more. How can you know if you are getting enough sleep? Sleepiness
during the day is a simple but clear indicator that your body requires more sleep. Significant
sleepiness during the day suggests the need for more or better sleep, or both.
You may also benefit from tracking your sleep habits and trends (18).
Lack of sleep is more than just an annoyance. Sleep is important for the body to
function as intended; such functions include the following.
Good nutritional choices are part of physical wellness.
Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices 15
FIGURE 1.4 Sleep duration recommendations.
Republished with permission of National Sleep Foundation.
E6843/ACSM/F01.04/547907/mh-R1
Hours of sleep
24
22
20
23
21
19
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
17
15
13
11
9
7
5
3
10
Newborn
0-3
months
Recommended May be appropriate Not recommended
14-17
12-15
11-14
10-13
9-11
8-10
7-9 7-9 7-8
18-19
11-13
16-18
10-11
15-16
9-10
14
8-9
12
7-8
11
7
10-11
6 6
10
9
5-6
Infant
4-11
months
Toddler
1-2
years
Pre-school
3-5
years
School
age
6-13
years
Teen
14-17
years
Young adult
18-25
years
Adult
26-64
years
Older adult
65+
years
• Heart rate and blood pressure naturally fluctuate during sleep to promote cardiovascular
health.
• Cells and tissues are repaired as growth hormone is released during deep sleep.
• Immune function is promoted with the creation of cytokines that target infections.
• Hormones related to appetite change (leptin, which suppresses appetite, increases
while ghrelin, which stimulates appetite, decreases).
In addition, inadequate sleep can make daily tasks like learning, concentrating, and
reacting more difficult (15).
Changing behavior to obtain the sleep you need requires making a conscious
health choice. Implementing good sleep practices is key (see Tips for Better Sleep).
One common recommendation to promote better sleep is exercise. The National Sleep
Foundation has stated, simply, “Exercise is good for sleep” (17). Although some recommendations
in the past have suggested that exercise near bedtime is detrimental,
newer recommendations encourage healthy adults to exercise without any limitation
related to time of day, other than ensuring that exercise time is not replacing time
needed for sleep.