Get a full night's sleep for good health, longevity

Sleep, blessed sleep. During the cold rainy season, I sometimes find myself longing for a nap at odd moments during the day, like a bear looking for a place to hibernate.

Sleep is the body's time to heal and to regain physiologic balance. Good sleep is essential, and its lack can lead to early death.

Studies have shown that inadequate sleep disrupts most of the physiologic functions in the human body, leading to an increase in cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, strokes and cancer. And yes, you can get too much sleep -- more than nine hours a night as a regular habit is not healthy.

How many hours of sleep are optimal? Newborns need 10 to 18 hours, babies up to a year old need 14 to 15 hours, and toddlers need 13 to 15 hours each day.

If children are sleep-deprived, they get sick and are more likely to be misdiagnosed with attention deficit disorder. Preschoolers need 11 to 13 hours of sleep, and some of this can come from daily naps. Children 5 to 12 years old need 9 to 11 hours, which means going to bed early, since school kids don't have time for naps. And adolescents need a good 8 to 10 hours for optimal performance. Parents can significantly improve their children's overall health just by winning the fight over bedtime.

By the time we are adults, we need seven to nine hours a night. A study published in the September 2007 issue of the journal Sleep reported that 10,000 government workers who cut their sleep time to five hours or less each night had a 200 percent increase in risk of cardiovascular death. The author of this study estimates that over 40 percent of the U.S. population sleeps less than five hours a night.

Another study showed that if you fail to sleep deeply for three nights in a row, your body's ability to manage insulin is challenged the same as if you gained 20 to 30 pounds. After three nights of interrupted sleep, people in their 20s have the glucose metabolism of someone in their 60s. No wonder we feel old when we don't get enough sleep!

There are medical reasons that account for some of this sleep deprivation: sleep apnea, pain inadequately treated, acid reflux, prostate disease, and medication side effects are just a few. Your primary care physician can help you rule out many of these treatable problems.

But far more frequent causes of sleep deprivation in our society are poor sleep hygiene and lifestyle stressors that are not addressed.

Poor sleep habits are relatively simple to change. Simple measures like regular bedtimes and avoidance of caffeine or alcohol can make a difference. Avoid naps, refrain from eating too late in the evening, and get adequate daily exercise.

Lifestyle stressors that remain unresolved are an unwelcome but common cause of insomnia. Jobs with excessive demands, relationships that are stressful but seem unchangeable and persistent depression can all be sources of sleep disorders.

The pharmaceutical industry has a myriad of pills to help those who have difficulty sleeping, and these can be very helpful for temporary relief.

But relying on medication for more than a few consecutive nights can be dangerous. Many sleep aids have unpredictable side effects, and most will lose their effectiveness with regular use, requiring stronger doses for minimal effect.

Sleep deprivation can cause unclear thinking and impair decision making skills, eventually leading to psychosis and hallucinations. Insomniacs get desperate and will take dangerous mixtures of medication and other substances in their attempts to find relief.

There is help for those of us who are sleep deprived. Start by making sure your children get enough sleep and help them develop good sleep hygiene that will last a lifetime.

If you are a chronic insomniac, avoid the trap of relying on ever increasing doses of medication. Most important is identifying the cause of your sleep disorder, whether it is a medical problem or a lifestyle stressor that is difficult to face. It may require significant changes that seem insurmountable, but those changes could add years to your life.

Dr. Stacey Kerr, a longtime Sonoma County family physician, graduated from UC Davis Medical School and is certified in her specialty by the American Board of Family Medicine. Her columns are not intended as a substitute for hands-on medical advice or treatment. Consult your health care provider before adhering to any recommendations in this column. E-mail comments to drkerr@the-doctors-inn.com.