EAT GREENS FOR YOUR HEART & SLEEP DEPRIVATION

   According to a recent survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than a third of adults in the U.S. are sleep-deprived, causing them to have difficulty concentrating, remembering, driving, working, pursuing hobbies or taking care of finances.  “Many retirees have poor sleep habits, go to sleep earlier or nap more than before,” says Shelby Freedman Harris, Psy.D., director of Behavioral Sleep Medicine at the Montefiore Medical Center in New York.  Educating them about having a schedule and activities can be a very powerful treatment.  Sleeping pills are often prescribed instead, even without a formal diagnosis.  An August 2011 study, published in The American Journal of Public Health, found that prescriptions for newer sleeping pills, such as zolpidem – increased five times more than insomnia during a recent 15 year period.

TRY NONDRUG REMEDIES – A January 2012 analysis by Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs noted that millions of Americans might be overusing sleeping pills.  People 55 years or older should first try these non drug approaches. 

LIFESTYLE CHANGES:  Behavior modification – such as getting up at the same time every day and avoiding naps or lingering in bed unless you’re asleep – produced significant improvements for older adults with chronic insomnia, according to a May 2011 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine for self-help strategies, see page 5.  Seeing a therapist who specializes in insomnia may help 70 to 80 percent of people with chronic insomnia.  To find a sleep center where CBT if offered, call the American Academy of Sleep Medicine at 630-737-9700 or go to www.sleepcenters.org and ask your insurer about coverage.

EXERCISE:  A study of 3,000 adults, published on December 2011 in the journal Mental Health and Physical Activity found that 150 minutes a week of moderate exercise, such as brisk walking or 75 minutes a week of vigorous activity, such as running, improved sleep quality by as much as 65 percent.  Disrupting sleep increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, mood and memory problems and driving accidents, especially if overweight.  Shedding excess pounds can alleviate it in some cases.  Restless leg syndrome worsens in the evening when you are lying down.  Get tested for iron deficiency.  Take slow deep abdominal breathing.  Change thoughts and behavior problems that lead to depression and can create a problem.  Avoid large late meals.  Establish a soothing bedtime routine.