{"id":61664,"date":"2019-01-02T19:35:20","date_gmt":"2019-01-03T03:35:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=61664"},"modified":"2019-01-06T19:02:42","modified_gmt":"2019-01-07T03:02:42","slug":"4-ways-to-stop-the-insanity-and-re-embrace-healthy-sleep-patterns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/4-ways-to-stop-the-insanity-and-re-embrace-healthy-sleep-patterns\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Ways to Stop the Insanity and Re-Embrace Healthy Sleep Patterns"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A good night\u2019s sleep might seem like a luxury, but rest is a vital part of our overall health. Unfortunately, far too many Americans neglect their sleep needs.<\/p>\n

In fact, about\u00a0one-third of Americans<\/a>\u00a0struggle with sleep deprivation. That might not sound like a big deal, but a study by researchers at the\u00a0National Institutes of Health<\/a>\u00a0found that even one night of lost sleep increases the production of a protein in the brain called beta-amyloid, which is associated with Alzheimer\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n

While most people don\u2019t connect a lack of sleep to such alarming consequences, everyone knows what it\u2019s like to feel exhausted. Poor sleep habits create stress in our bodies and lead to fatigue, diminished concentration, slow reaction times, and increased irritability. Exhaustion also\u00a0hurts the economy<\/a>\u00a0in a big way, contributing to spiraling healthcare costs and decreased work productivity.<\/p>\n

The typical American sleeps only seven hours per day \u2014 about two hours less than a century ago. Adults who sleep fewer than seven hours, the\u00a0Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a>\u00a0says, aren\u2019t allowing their bodies and minds to recover adequately.<\/p>\n

In a society that rewards us for doing more (and more), it\u2019s tough to dedicate time to what essentially feels like \u201cdoing nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n

A True Race to the Bottom<\/b><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not all your fault, insomniacs; many of you are simply products of the age. Getting eight solid hours of sleep is harder than it used to be, largely thanks to our easy access to distractions like TVs, computers, and smartphones.<\/p>\n

These instruments provide entertainment value, and it\u2019s admittedly pretty amazing to be able to binge-watch every season of \u201cBreaking Bad\u201d whenever and wherever we choose. But at the same time, this incredible technology carries consequences.<\/p>\n

Devices designed to save time and labor often have the opposite effect because\u00a0they end up creating more pressure to work<\/a>. People have become tethered to their jobs to the point that they complete tasks and respond to emails around the clock. Society rewards this unhealthy behavior, making it even harder to break bad sleep habits.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s as though we\u2019re all contestants on a dreadful reality TV show where the object is to see how much we can endure by depriving ourselves of sleep. Sleep loss affects all cognitive functions, and there are severe consequences for challenging our natural circadian rhythms.<\/p>\n

Taking Charge of Our Sleep Habits<\/b><\/p>\n

Stop viewing sleep as wasted time, and start viewing it as an activity that enhances the rest of your life. As with most healthy interests, developing healthy sleep habits is a matter of practice and discipline. It takes time. Start by getting to the bottom of why your sleep habits aren\u2019t effective. Here’s how:<\/p>\n