Important sleep tips from emergency room physicians

Emergency room doctors must be alert around the clock, so getting enough sleep can be tricky. Sleep is important for physical, mental and emotional health, and too little sleep is linked to chronic diseases such as depression, obesity, diabetes and stroke.

In a press release, the American Heart Association recommends that adults sleep 7 to 9 hours a day to maintain optimal cardiovascular health, while children get more sleep based on age.

According to CNBC, here are some suggestions from emergency physicians on how to achieve this goal:

• Minimize light in the room. Melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate circadian rhythms, is stimulated by darkness. Try using blackout curtains or shades or comfortable eye masks to simulate darkness, and turn off emitting electronic devices.

• Reduce room temperature. According to the Sleep Foundation, the temperature of your room can have a significant impact on the quality of your sleep. The optimal room temperature is about 65 degrees Fahrenheit, but this can be adjusted to personal preference.

• Avoid eating close to bedtime. Going to bed with a full meal disrupts digestion and may lead to acid reflux. Emergency room doctors try eating during their shifts a few hours before bed and drinking herbal tea instead of late-night snacking.

• Take a hot bath or shower. This can improve sleep quality by lowering the body's core temperature, signaling it's time to sleep. Adding fragrances like lavender or eucalyptus to your bath water can enhance the bathing experience. Or use a diffuser in your bedroom to use aromatherapy to help you sleep.

• Use sounds to soothe. Smartphone apps, fans, and even white noise machines can help you fall asleep. The concept is that a patch of noise or background sound can block out disruptive noise.

• Exercise a few hours before bed. Avoid strenuous, heart-racing exercise for at least a few hours before bed. Also, try gentle stretches or yoga exercises that tire your muscles but won't leave you sweating before bed.

• Make sure you sleep on a comfortable mattress. "We spend most of our time in bed, which highlights the importance of making sure the mattress we use supports us properly while we sleep," said Kern Singh, MD, professor at the Orthopedic Center at Rush University School of Medicine in Chicago. The importance of our bodies.” “The ideal sleeping position is one that maintains the natural curvature of the spine,” he says. "The best position to protect your spine is to lie on your back. The most stressful contact points are the back of your head, shoulders, hips and heels." For people who lie on their backs, a firm mattress works well.

(Compiled by: Wang Jimin)

(Editor: Jiang Qiming)

(Source of the article: Compiled and published by New Sancai)