Happy Daylight Saving Time.

Sleep Awareness Month starts with daylight saving time, when most Americans lose an hour of sleep. This month aims to celebrate the benefits of good sleep, raise awareness about sleep problems, and encourage the prevention and treatment of sleep disorders. More than 70 million Americans face chronic sleep issues. Unfortunately, being tired has become a badge of honor, seen as a sign of hard work and dedication.

Sleep is beneficial to our health.

It strengthens the immune system,
Helps repair tissue damage
Promotes cardiac health. Lack of sleep is a risk factor for cardiovascular problems, including high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and heart disease.
Contributes to better metabolism, including blood pressure regulation. Deep sleep helps the cells respond to insulin. Those with poor sleep have an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes.
Sleep clears waste from the brain and improves brain function. Good sleep improves concentration, learning, and logical reasoning.

Most adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Children need more:

Ages 5 and younger need 10 to 16 hours.

Ages 6 -12 need 9 to 12 hours.

Ages 13-18 need 8 to 10 hours.

Losing sleep is a serious safety risk. Feeling drowsy slows your reaction time just as much as driving drunk. Fatigue causes about 100,000 car crashes and 1,550 deaths each year in the US. Poor sleep reduces attention, alertness, concentration, and problem-solving skills, making it harder to think and learn.

How to improve your sleep:

Eat well — don’t go to bed hungry or stuffed. Include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, fermented foods, and healthy oils like extra-virgin olive oil and Omega-3s to support your gut microbiome. A diverse gut microbiome usually means better sleep. The good gut bacteria help produce chemicals like serotonin, GABA, melatonin, and tryptophan that can improve sleep. Be careful with nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol since their stimulating effects can last for hours. Alcohol might make you sleepy at first, but it can disturb your sleep later.

Regular exercise can help you sleep better. Spending time outside every day also makes a difference.

Limit daytime naps to under an hour.
Create a calm sleep space. Keep your room cool, dark, and quiet. Avoid screens that emit light for at least an hour before bed. Try calming activities like a warm bath or relaxation exercises before sleeping.
Manage your worries. I use a meditation where you imagine leaving your worries on the front porch when you come inside. Don’t worry, no one will take them. Take time to calm your mind.

Find what works best for you to improve your sleep. It’s great for your health!