Back Is My Sleep Really That Important to my Health??? Monday, February 18, 2013 Wellness Committee With as much emphasis as we place on fitness activities and proper nutrition, we often forget one of the most important factors of our health - SLEEP!!! While what we eat and what we do each day is very important, sleep is a huge factor that affects our physical and mental wellness. The National Sleep Foundation released a study in the Spring of 2012, where transportation professionals were polled in regards to their sleep habits. You can see the Poll here. In short, it states what many of you already know. Most of us are not getting enough adequate sleep. The lack of sleep affects us in so many ways and has a long-term negative effect on our overall wellness. If you are interested in taking a 2-minute "Sleepiness Scale" online quiz, click here. The questions allow you to think about situations where you may find yourself feel yourself getting drowsy. Here is list of tips from the National Sleep Foundation for all of us to adapt ito try and get a good night's sleep when your schedule allows for good sleep: Go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day and avoid spending more time in bed than needed. Use bright light to help manage your body clock. Avoid bright light in the evening and expose yourself to sunlight in the morning. Only use your bedroom for sleep. Remove computers, televisions and other distractions. Select a relaxing bedtime ritual, like a warm bath or listening to calm music. Create an environment that is conducive to sleep that is quiet, dark and cool with a comfortable mattress and pillows. Exercise regularly but avoid vigorous workouts close to bedtime. If you can’t sleep, go into another room and do something relaxing until you feel tired. If you are experiencing excessive snoring or “stop breathing” episodes in your sleep, contact your health care professional for a sleep apnea screening. Now it is your turn to provide your tips to a healthy time of sleep for all of us to learn. Please "Comment" on this post or on our Facebook page to let all of us know what you do to help yourself have a good night's rest. We look forward to adding your comments to the post, as we care about your thoughts and advice to keep us ALL moving in the right direction. Rest Well and Stay the Course!!