VCSST 11x17_Relief for Radiating Neck Pain and Headaches

WHY YOU NEED 7-9 HOURS OF SLEEP & How You Can Improve Your Time

1.Noise. Sleeping with a white noise machine or fan can help eliminate any additional environmental noises that may wake you up in the middle of the night. 2.Light. If your room lets in excessive amounts of light in the morning, it may be beneficial to invest in some blackout curtains. Keeping your room dark will help you stay asleep through the night, even as the sun is rising. 3.Temperature. Have you ever woken up sweating to throw the blankets off and wake up freezing a couple hours later? The temperature in which you keep your bedroom has a large effect on your sleep. Your body temperature naturally decreases as a way to initiate sleep, so keeping a cooler bedroom can help facilitate your slumber. 4.Mattress. It may come as no surprise that what you actually sleep on also has a profound effect on the way you sleep. Mattresses with mid-level firmness ratings (4-6 out of 10) tend to help the most with alleviating pain, as they provide a balance between comfort and support. Mattresses that are too soft or too firm can actually increasepain levelsduringsleep,as theycan createmorepressureand targetcertainpain points. Sleep is an essential part of daily function, and you shouldn’t let your pain rob you from it! If you are experiencing sleep deprivation due to your chronic pain, contact us today at (804) 249-8277. We’ll provide you with helpful tips for gaining sleep and improving your daily life, free from pain and exhaustion.

How Much Sleep Do You Need?

made a habit of skimping on sleep, you may not even remember what it feels like to be truly wide-awake, fully alert, and firing on all cylinders. Maybe it feels normal to get sleepy when you’re in a boring meeting, struggling through the afternoon slump, or dozing off after dinner, but the truth is that it’s only “normal” if you’re sleep deprived. • Need an alarm clock in order to wake up on time • Rely on the snooze button • Have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning • Feel sluggish in the afternoon • Get sleepy in meetings, lectures, or warm rooms • Get drowsy after heavy meals or when driving • Need to nap to get through the day • Fall asleep while watching TV or relaxing in the evening • Feel the need to sleep in on weekends • Fall asleep within five minutes of going to bed You May Be Sleep Deprived if You:

There is a big difference between the amount of sleep you can get by on and the amount you need to function optimally. According to the National Institutes of Health, the average adult sleeps less than seven hours per night. In today’s fast-paced society, six or seven hours of sleep may sound pretty good. In reality, though, it’s a recipe for chronic sleep deprivation. Just because you’re able to operate on six or seven hours of sleep doesn’t mean you wouldn’t feel a lot better and get more done if you spent an extra hour or two in bed. While sleep requirements vary slightly from person to person, most healthy adults need between 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night to function at their best. Children and teens need even more. And despite the notion that our sleep needs decrease with age, most older people still need at least 7 hours of sleep. Since older adults often have trouble sleeping this long at night, daytime naps can help fill in the gap. If you’re getting less than eight hours of sleep each night, chances are you’re sleep deprived. What’s more, you probably have no idea just how much lack of sleep is affecting you. How is it Possible to Be Sleep Deprived Without Knowing It? Most of the signs of sleep deprivation are much more subtle than falling face first into your dinner plate. Furthermore, if you’ve Signs That You’re Not Getting Enough Sleep

How Can I Improve My Sleep?

There are some steps you can take to make sleeping as comfortable as possible for you and to make up some of the sleep debt you experience each night. The environment in which you sleep is one of the most important factors in creating a good night’s sleep. This includes:

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