Lifestyle Rx
from Lifestyle Medicine Solutions
Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring…
Wait, no, that’s a different story.
I’m still awake. Why? Many of us are beholden to the trap of “busyness” during this time of year. Whether you’re up late wrapping presents, or working on your mile long list of things to do before relatives roll into town. It might seem like there are endless opportunities, to DO things. All the time. With regard to our health- and our constantly plugged in culture, we end up sacrificing our sleep and rest during stressful times.
A lack of quality sleep increases chances of holiday weight gain and can disrupt your fitness routine,” says sleep expert Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer, DO, MS, Director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Cleveland Clinic. She warns that the extra alcohol, finger foods and treats along with the added hustle and bustle of shopping can lead to fitful, unsatisfactory sleep.
Here at Lifestyle Medicine Solutions we offer these three tips for maintaining a healthy sleep schedule, as well as sanity during the holidays.
1. Try to stick to your normal sleep routine. During the holidays, do your best to not break your body's normal sleeping pattern. Stay consistent so that you don’t disrupt your sleep cycle.
2. Control your exposure to light. Its been overcast the last few days so this shouldn’t be a problem. However, all nighttime light can interfere with sleep and your body’s rhythms, but the blue light emitted by electronics is especially disruptive. This includes the screen on your phone, tablet, computer, or TV.
3. Studies show that regular exercisers sleep better and feel less sleepy during the day. Regular exercise also improves the symptoms of insomnia and sleep apnea and increases the amount of time you spend in the deep, restorative stages of sleep. The more vigorously you exercise, the more powerful the sleep benefits. But even light exercise—such as walking for just 10 minutes a day—improves sleep quality.
If you still have trouble sleeping, email us at info@lifestylemedpc.com for information about participating in a free sleep study.
With that being said, we wish you good rest and great sleep in the days ahead.
We are open until 12 on Christmas and New Year's Eve and closed on Christmas and New Year's Day
Lifestyle Medicine Solutions
Direct Primary Care with a vision to:
Restore the people
Reform the System
Reshape Riverside
Email: info@lifestylemedpc.com
Website: lifestylemedpc.com
Location: 4315 Brockton Avenue, Riverside, CA, United States
Phone: 909-353-1610
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LifestyleMedicineSolutions/?fref=ts
Twitter: @lifestyledocs