RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HEALTHY SLEEP - AUGUST 2020 - VOLUME 12, ISSUE 4
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You may or may not have heard of him before, but Dr. William Dement was a founder of sleep medicine in the U.S., where he is known as the "father of sleep medicine." He recently passed away on June 17th, 2020 at the age of 91, so it seems fitting to take a look at how he helped to raise awareness of sleep disorders, and the dangers of sleep deprivation.
About Sleep
First, here is a quick look at sleep.
Stages of sleep: You have probably heard of REM (rapid eye movement) and NREM (non-rapid eye movement) sleep. We cycle between NREM (mostly deeper) sleep and REM (lighter) sleep, usually with 4 or 5 sleep cycles per night. REM sleep begins about 1-2 hours after NREM sleep begins. It occurs about every 90 minutes, with each REM period getting longer, ranging from about 5-10 minutes to 20-50 minutes.
Why we need sleep: Sleep is the single most effective thing we can do to reset our brain and body health each day. Sleep treats everything non-specifically. A full 8 hours of sleep per night (at least 6.5 hours, not more than 9 hours):
enhances memory and mental clarity
boosts mood and the ability to moderate emotions
increases the ability to handle stress
improves overall energy and digestive health, regulates appetite
improves muscle recovery and athletic performance
improves and maintains immune function
benefits our metabolism.
In short, the lack of sleep negatively affects all aspects of our health.
Dr. William Dement
With a handful of other scientists, Dr. Dement, a longtime faculty member of the Stanford School of Medicine, created the fields of sleep research and sleep medicine. His many books and lectures helped raise awareness of sleep disorders and the dangers of sleep deprivation. His mission was to educate the world about the importance of sleep, and the dangers of drowsiness. His motto was, "Drowsiness is a red alert!"
His efforts to alert policymakers to the dangers of sleep deprivation and sleep disorders led to the establishment of the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research and increased the U.S. National Institutes of Health funding for sleep research.
The Dangers of Sleep Disorders
When Dr. Dement conducted a scientific study of students, he found that 80% were dangerously sleep-deprived. The problem was/is not just with students, it affects the general population. The dangers of sleep deprivation are huge. Many well-known disasters can be attributed completely or partially to sleep deprivation, including the grounding of the Exxon Valdez, and the near-meltdown at Three Mile Island. Of course, sleep deprivation increases the risk of motor vehicle accidents, both from errors in judgment and falling asleep at the wheel. It also reduces productivity and increases the risk of many illnesses.
Dr. Dement drew attention to the high prevalence of insomnia - and obstructive sleep apnea - where a person stops breathing many times a night. He estimated that almost half of American adults had insomnia, and as many as 25% had sleep apnea. Sleep apnea causes sleepiness and is associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, strokes and heart attacks.
Recommendations for Healthy Sleep
Dr. Dement offered many tips, most of which will be familiar:
use an ergonomic pillow
sleep in a cool (when possible), dark room
take a warm bath
no daytime naps
no alcohol or caffeine within four hours of bedtime
if sleep does not come within 20 minutes, sit quietly in the dark or read something dull like the warranty for the refrigerator
I would also stress the importance of:
regular physical activity - try to exercise for at least 30 minutes most days, but not later than 2 to 3 hours before your bedtime,
sticking to a regular sleep schedule,
avoiding large meals late at night,
minimizing your nighttime exposure to EMF (electromagnetic frequencies), e.g., turn off your wifi at night, turn off your cell phone or put it on airplane mode.
For additional information, please see our newsletter for June 2018. You may also be interested in the website, End Your Sleep Deprivation; it is the updated version of Dr. Dement's website, The Sleep Well.
Dr. Dement passed away on June 17th this year due to complications of a heart procedure, according to his son. And, yes, it is reported that he died in his sleep.
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Recommended Use: Dosage (adults): Take 1 capsule daily, at or before bedtime.
Supplements
There are a number of supplements that would help you to maximize your health. You can find information about these products, and purchase them in our online store:
Melatonin Extra
Zerenity
Passion Flower
RE-X
Magnesium Complex
REFUGE Calming Essential Oil Blend
Lavender, Organic Essential Oil
References:
What are REM and non-REM sleep? https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-101 October 26, 2018. Accessed August 3, 2020.
The importance of sleep to our health. Newsletter Volume 10, Issue 3, June 2018 https://www.ramilas.com/news/2018/6/28/the-importance-of-sleep-to-our-health-june-2018-volume-10-issue-3. Accessed July 29, 2020.
Spector R. William Dement, giant in sleep medicine, dies at 91. https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2020/06/william-dement-giant-in-field-of-sleep-medicine-dies-at-91.html June 18, 2020. Accessed July 27, 2020.
Perchance to dream - William Dement died on June 17th. The Economist, Obituary July 9th, 2020. https://www.economist.com/obituary/2020/07/09/william-dement-died-on-june-17th. Accessed July 27, 2020.
Sandomir R. Dr. William Dement, leader in sleep disorder research, dies at 91. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/27/science/dr-william-dement-dead.html June 27, 2020. Accessed July 27, 2020.
End Your Sleep Deprivation. http://www.end-your-sleep-deprivation.com/. Accessed July 29, 2020.
Disclaimer: The suggestions and recommendations in this newsletter are not intended to be prescriptive or diagnostic. The information is accurate and up to date to our knowledge, but we are not responsible for any errors in our sources of information.
