The Search For Sleep: How A Good (Or Bad) Night's Rest Can Impact Your Health

For years, we’ve been bombarded with health advice that often includes recommendations for eating more fruits and veggies, taking a daily walk, and being mindful of our stress levels. But here’s another vital, yet often overlooked aspect of a well-rounded, good-for-you health plan—sleep.

“We’ve learned a tremendous amount about sleep over the past several decades,” says Harly E. Greenberg, MD, medical director of the Northwell Sleep Disorders Center. “We now understand that sleep has many restorative functions and that people who are sleep deprived have higher incidences of several chronic diseases,” he adds.

Let’s take a closer look at how reliable rest can boost your health:

Blood pressure: When you’re sleep deprived, the body constricts blood vessels to try to keep you in an awake, vigilant state. That can be hazardous for blood pressure. A meta-analysis (which combines data from multiple studies) looked at over 225,000 people and found that those who slept less than six hours a night were 20% more likely to have high blood pressure. Even just one night of tossing and turning can hurt—with another study finding that after a bad night’s sleep, participants’ pressure spiked the following day.

Weight: Experts theorize that ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates hunger, and leptin, a hormone that tells your brain you’re full, are off-kilter when the body’s sleep deprived. Add to that, when you’re chronically wiped and your stomach’s growling, you’re less apt to reach for an apple. (More like, “Those potato chips look good!”)

Heart health: A lack of shut eye may also unleash several pro-inflammatory markers, including C-reactive protein that can contribute to heart disease. One study of nearly a half a million adults found that sleeping less than six hours a day on a long-term basis was associated with a 20% increased risk of heart attack.

Immune system: Sleep allows the immune system to release cytokines, proteins that trigger a disease-fighting response to fend off infection. One study found that when volunteers were exposed to a cold virus, those who had gotten less than seven hours of shut eye during the previous two weeks were almost three times more likely to develop a cold than those who got eight hours or more.

Brain function: Sleep acts as a housekeeper, by sweeping out toxins that have built up in your brain during the day that may play a role in Alzheimer’s disease. Research looking at 27 previous studies determined that people with sleep issues had over one and a half times the risk for developing cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease when compared to those who were regularly well rested.

So, for those who tend to toss and turn all night, is there any help? Absolutely. Here are a few of the most common snooze-saving solutions:

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I).  You may have heard of CBT for anxiety, but it has also been found to be helpful in treating insomnia. With this technique, you actually reorient the way you think about sleep. The treatment involves several sessions with a trained therapist who helps you recognize how certain beliefs stop you from sleeping. You then work to retrain your way of thinking as well as your sleep habits.

For example, if you spend time tossing and turning in bed, you’re going to consider your bedroom a place of being frustrated about not sleeping, as opposed to one where you can relax, says Greenberg. A CBT therapist will help you reshape those thoughts through relaxation techniques, setting consistent bed and wake times, healthy lifestyle habits, etc. “Cognitive behavioral therapy is the best non-medication treatment we have for chronic insomnia,” says Greenberg.

Melatonin. Your brain produces this hormone in the evening, timed by your circadian rhythm (the body’s clock that helps to align the sleep/wake cycle with the night and day). Some theorize since the hormone signals your body that it’s time to sleep, taking melatonin at bedtime will help you fall asleep faster. Does it work? For certain types of insomnia, yes. Melatonin can work well if you need to tweak your body clock—say you’re traveling to Italy or your body clock is running a little fast or slow (if you’re a night owl, for example), says Greenberg. It’s also helpful for those who do shift work. “But most people with chronic, longstanding insomnia do not find melatonin to be the miracle cure they need,” he adds. If you do want to try it, Greenberg suggests taking 3 mg before bedtime.

Valerian root. The mechanism of action isn’t clear but experts feel that this perennial plant native to Europe and Asia increases the neurotransmitter GABA (gamma aminobtyric acid), which has a calming effect on the body. The data is mixed. Some research has found that valerian extract helped study participants fall asleep faster, resulting in better sleep and fewer nighttime awakenings compared with a placebo. But other studies have not found the same result.

Valerian seems to be most effective when taken regularly in doses of 300 to 600 mg for two or more weeks.

Lifestyle changes. Sometimes some simple tips can help you fall asleep faster. Greenberg suggests you look at the temperature of your bedroom—cooler is better. Make sure all lights are off and that your room is quiet. Shutting down your devices is key. The blue light that comes off many electronics can delay the release of melatonin (that sleep-inducing hormone discussed earlier) and keep you wide-eyed. In addition to that, Googling the latest news, recipes, or whatever other random thoughts pop into your mind in the bedroom stimulates the brain at a time when you want to do the opposite. “So from both a light perspective and an engagement one, devices at bedtime are not a good idea,” says Greenberg.

Feeling tired yet?

• Can a weighted blanket help you sleep? One troubled sleeper puts it to the test.
• Sleep solutions that work in the real world.
• Learn more about Northwell Health’s Sleep Disorder Center.