Chapter List

• Introduction to Age Erasers for Women
• Stop the Clock
• Age Spots
• Allergies
• Anger
• Arrhythmias
• Arthritis
• Back Pain
• Binge Eating
• Bladder Problems
• Burnout
• Bursitis and Tendinitis
• Cellulite
• Depression
• Dieting
• Double Chin
• Drinking Problems
• Drug Dependency
• Eating Disorders
• Endometriosis
• Fatigue
• Fibroids
• Foot Problems
• Hair Loss
• Heart Attack
• Heart Disease
• Hemochromatosis
• High Blood Pressure
• Hysterectomy
• Infertility
• Midlife Crisis
• The Pill
• Respiratory Diseases
• Sex Problems and Stds
• Smoking
• Snoring and Sleep Apnea
• Stress
• Stroke
• Television
• Thyroid Disorders
• Type A Personality
• Unwanted Hair
• Varicose Veins
• Vision Changes
• Worry
• Wrinkles
• Adventure
• Aerobics
• Affirmations
• Alcoholic Beverages
• Altruism
• Antioxidants
• Aspirin
• Breakfast
• Breast Care
• Calcium
• Career Change
• Change and Adaptability
• Confidence and Self-Esteem
• Cosmetic Dentistry
• Cosmetic Surgery
• Creativity
• Fiber
• Fluids
• Forgiveness
• Friendships
• Goals
• Honesty
• Hormone Replacement Therapy
• Humor
• Immunity
• Learning
• Leisure Time
• Low-Fat Foods
• A Litany of Low-Fat Foods
• Makeup
• Marriage
• Massage
• Medical Checkups
• Optimism
• Relaxation
• Religion and Spirituality
• Resistance Training
• Sex
• Skin Care
• Sleep
• Stretching
• Vegetarianism
• Vitamins and Minerals
• Yoga
• Credits
• Gray Hair Rethinking Your True Colors
• Biological Clock
• Body Image
• Caffeine
• Cancer
• Cholesterol
• Dental Problems
• Diabetes
• Digestive Problems
• Hearing Loss
• Injuries and Accidents
• Memory
• Menopausal Changes
• Metabolism Changes
• Migraines
• Osteoporosis
• Overweight
• Premenstrual Syndrome
• Reaction Time
• Skin Cancer
• Ulcers

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Sleep

Sleep

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The Pause That Refreshes

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What would you do if you were told that you could look and feel younger as well as boost your energy level without spending a single cent or even having to leave home?

For most of us, the reply would be simple: What do I have to do?

The answer? Get some sleep.

It's no exaggeration that sleep's benefits can add volumes to the quality of your life. But sleep is often the first thing to go when we get overworked or overwrought and stay up just another hour or two or three to finish a project, do the ironing, read a report, scrub the bathroom floor . . .

"You can't cheat sleep without somehow cheating yourself," says Mark Mahowald, M.D., director of the Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorders Center at the Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis.

The Secret Youth Enhancer

We all know a sleep-deprived person when we see one: droopy eyes with dark circles; a dazed, gloomy, spaced-out expression; poor posture; slow-walking; slow-talking. Not exactly the picture of youth. But what if we start exercising good sleep habits on a regular basis? Can we actually add vitality and reverse some of these signs of aging?

Unless there are other medical problems, the answer is yes. "Sleep is a part of a constellation of behaviors that maximizes the quality of our lives," Michael Vitiello, Ph.D., associate director of the Sleep and Aging Research Program at the University of Washington in Seattle. "When you sleep better, you feel better. You're more likely to perform at optimal levels and to maintain healthy lifestyle behaviors like exercise and healthy eating. Combine sleep with these other behaviors and all those things we associate with youth--appearance, energy and attitude--will ultimately improve."

To Nap or Not to Nap? "Many individuals who don't get all the sleep they need at night benefit from a short siesta in the afternoon," says Timothy Monk, Ph.D., director of the Human Chronobiology Research Program at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. "There is a natural dip in alertness in the mid-afternoon, part of our circadian rhythms. Many of those who are sleep-deprived or who have very strong napping instincts are often revitalized by a 30-minute nap in this period." But not everyone has the time for a nap, and napping is not for every-one. "If you have insomnia, you may have a strong desire to nap in the afternoon, but that can worsen your sleeplessness at night," says Karl Doghramji, M.D., director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. "In addition, many people are poor nappers. They actually feel worse after a nap due to what we call sleep inertia--the groggy feeling that can linger for hours." What should you do? Dr. Monk and Dr. Doghramji say to experiment. If napping makes you feel good the rest of the day, if it doesn't interfere with your evening sleep and if your schedule permits, by all means take a siesta when you feel that afternoon slump. About 20 to 45 minutes just after lunch is usually best.

Body and Mind Together

Scientists know that the body releases its greatest concentration of growth hormone--the substance that helps our bodies repair damaged tissue--during sleep. Sleep-deprived lab animals suffer a complete breakdown in their vital functions. And recent studies have shown that sleep-deprived individuals seem to experience a decrease in the activity of natural killer cells and other immune system good guys that keep the body infection-free.

Most sleep specialists believe the mind benefits equally from a good night's sleep.

"Sleep deprivation makes us moody and irritable," says Dr. Mahowald. It also limits our ability to concentrate, make judgments and perform mental tasks. As a result, it can affect our job performance or, even worse, lead to industrial or traffic fatalities."

Sleep, it turns out, is really a highly active state made up of a series of regular cycles. There are stages to each cycle: Stages one to three occur during light sleep and stage four (also called delta sleep) represents our deepest sleep. A fifth stage of sleep (called rapid eye movement or REM) occurs when we dream. Adequate delta and REM sleep, experts believe, are essential. Without either, we feel lousy and our abilities to learn, memorize and reason are sharply impaired.

Your Changing Sleep Patterns

Do you expect to run as fast or play tennis as well in your forties, fifties or sixties as you did in your teens, twenties and thirties? Of course not. But how about sleep? You probably think it will take no effort at all or even be easier. But for most of us, a good night's sleep could become harder to get.

Beginning in middle age and continuing into our golden years, it will take many of us longer to fall asleep. We'll experience frequent awakenings and spend less time in the valuable delta and REM stages. We'll spend less time sleeping, period.

"As we age, our internal clocks are much more easily disturbed," says Timothy Monk, Ph.D., director of the Human Chronobiology Research Program at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. "The main effect can be that we don't sleep as well and we enter a state of malaise and depression--like a chronic case of jet lag."

Getting What You Need

How much sleep do you need? It depends on the individual. Some of us can function perfectly on only four hours of sleep per night; others require as many as ten to feel refreshed. For most women, seven to eight hours does the job, but only you can answer the question for yourself. "There is no magic number. You should get as much sleep as you need to feel rested and able to function at your maximum the next day," says Dr. Mahowald.

How can you maximize the quality and quantity of your sleep? Here's help.

Stay on a regular schedule. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day (including weekends) helps maintain a consistent circadian rhythm--your body's natural clock, says Dr. Monk. This will condition your internal clock so that you will fall asleep easier, sleep more soundly and wake feeling refreshed.

Eat three regular meals at regular times. "Our daily rhythms can become easily disrupted by external factors," says Dr. Monk. "You need certain external cues to keep your body clock running right. Keeping consistent meal times will help."

Take time to unwind. You can't expect to leap from the rat race directly into the sack. Give yourself two hours before bedtime to relax and turn off the world by reading, watching television, listening to music or any other activity you find restful. Take care of business, bills and other stress makers during the day or early evening.

Establish a routine. Many people can't sleep well because their lifestyles are too chaotic before they go to bed. If you can develop a regular pattern of activities and behaviors every night just before bedtime, sleeping can be a kinder experience. For example, suppose each evening you took the dog for a walk, read the newspaper, showered, brushed your teeth and went to bed? You'd be relaxed and you would get yourself into a good presleep rhythm.

Maintain a proper environment. Improving your surroundings can make sleep a better experience. Most people find light and noise disruptive, so turn off your radio and draw the shades. Also, check the thermostat; most people sleep better with a temperature on the cooler side of normal.

Go only when you're tired. Don't stay in bed trying to make sleep happen, says Dr. Vitiello. You'll only condition yourself not to fall asleep while you're there. Instead, get up and read a book or do something constructive until you feel tired.

Don't stockpile sleep. If you have an early morning or an active day ahead of you, going to bed earlier probably won't help you, says Dr. Vitiello. Most people just spend that extra time in bed awake, only to have trouble falling asleep later. "While it's easy to accumulate a sleep debt, it's not possible to save up on your sleep," he says.

Avoid late meals and snacks. A small snack before bed is okay, but don't eat a full meal, spicy foods or a Dagwood sandwich less than three hours before bedtime, says Karl Doghramji, M.D., director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. Your rumbling stomach may keep you up for hours or may make your sleep less refreshing.

Cut the caffeine. Save your coffee, tea, colas, chocolates and other foods containing caffeine for the morning or early afternoons, says Dr. Doghramji. Caffeine is a powerful sleep inhibitor that stays in the bloodstream for up to six hours.

Limit your liquids after 8:00 p.m. For obvious reasons: Frequent trips to the bathroom can keep you up all night.

Forget the nightcap. We all know alcohol will make you drowsy at the drop of a hat. But it also makes you toss and turn in your sleep and changes the pattern of REM and non-REM sleep. You are also more likely to experience frequent brief awakenings throughout the night. Even if you spend many hours asleep, they probably won't be good hours, and you'll feel rotten in the morning.

Avoid medications. Sleeping pills and other sedatives, although often helpful, can also upset your sleep patterns, says Dr. Doghramji. In addition, it's easy to get hooked, especially if you use them improperly. Your best bet is to try to fall asleep without any chemical assistance. If you must take sleeping pills, do so only under a doctor's watchful eye.

For sleep and sex only. The bed was designed for two purposes only, says Dr. Vitiello. "If you introduce activities like paying bills, eating pizza and watching television, the body gets confused and may not want to go to sleep in bed."

Make love . . . or don't. Some women find that sex before sleep is relaxing; others feel that it keeps them up for hours afterward, says Dr. Mahowald. If making love knocks you out, go for it. If not, save your passion for another time of the day.

Shift your shift. "We were built to work during the day and sleep at night," says Dr. Monk. "The aging shift worker should seriously consider switching to a position or work schedule that doesn't require odd hours rather than fight the body's natural inclinations."

Be wise with exercise. It's a myth that heavy exercise will wear you out and make you sleepy, says Dr. Mahowald. But people who are physically fit and active will be better sleepers, so make exercise a part of your daily regimen. A mild walk before bedtime is okay if it relaxes you, but save your heavy workouts for earlier in the day; they'll keep you awake for quite a while.

Set aside worry time. "You'll never sleep well if you lie in bed obsessing over your worries," says Dr. Vitiello. "Set aside 30 minutes or so away from the bedroom before bedtime as worry time and get your troubles out of your system. Don't use the bed as a setting for anxiety."