To Sleep, Perhaps to Dream
I really want to focus on the importance of getting a good night’s sleep. If you don’t sleep well, you will suffer from fatigue, you will have trouble losing weight, you expose yourself to multiple medical diseases over the long term such as dementia, and Alzheimer’s. If your insomnia is from sleep apnea you really need to get it treated because it decreases oxygen to your brain. There are multiple treatments for apnea issues, ranging from C-PAP machines to surgeries.
One treatment that is not often recommended for sleep related issues, is the replacement of testosterone. Many of my patients report that once they have replaced their testosterone their sleep issues resolve!
This week on our podcast, Brett Newcomb and I are talking about health issues that doctors often miss, but that you should be aware of. Sleep related problems is the first on the list of concerns that we address. In our podcast we discuss both the viscous cycle of fatigue and sleeplessness and how they contribute to other medical and psychological complications. If you want to be healthy and alert and fully able to function, you need to find a way to get a good night’s sleep.
Part of our conversation emphasizes the importance of a dual approach to good health, the approach of being physically evaluated and treated for the mechanical or physiologic issues that are quantifiable, and being psychologically prepared for being healthy through the development of adequate coping skills, stress management skills, and proper conditioning of habits, particularly in the area of getting a good nights sleep.
We recommend developing good bedtime habits; try to go to bed and to sleep at a set time every day. Women in particular need to set a time to just turn themselves off and go to bed. You really should not eat or watch TV in bed, you should teach yourself to go to bed to rest and to sleep and regenerate. You condition your body for that by managing your schedule, your attitude, and your physical surround. Keep your room dark, be consistent and habituated in your approach to rest.
Listen to our podcast to learn more about the importance of good rest and sleep patterns with regard to your overall health.
