Health Matters With TSET: Importance Of Sleep

In this edition of Health Matters with TSET, health coach Dottie Small discussed the short—and long-term effects of poor sleep on overall health,

Physician Kevin White said sleep is foundational to mental and physical well-being.

"If you don’t have good sleep and good stress control, whatever your lot in life is, there is some stress, so it’s our response to that and our sleep. If you can't get somebody’s sleep right, it’s really hard to do other things and really move the needle," White said.

White explained the importance of sleep is multifaceted, noting its impact on the brain and overall health.

"You have the glymphatic system; there’s the relationship to poor sleep and brain health and then dementia," White said. "It impacts their hormones. It impacts the way their body responds as far as insulin responses."

According to White, good sleep is a restorative process for the brain.

"Whenever we get good deep sleep, good restorative sleep, our brain really cleans itself out, takes out the trash, so to speak," White said.

However, he said a lack of consistent, quality sleep can have serious long-term consequences.

"Shortened life span, all the other things that lead to chronic disease that end up leading to our demise and making life a hassle in the last 10 years of life, it'll contribute to all of those things," White said.

He added that sleep is often an overlooked aspect of health in the general population.

For those struggling to improve their sleep, White offered simple, effective tips to help.

He said one common issue is people waking up in the middle of the night and ruminating on stressful thoughts.

"One of the tricks that I have that I talk to our patients about that is cheap and anybody can do and actually won’t cost you a dime is some specific breath work," White said.

He recommended the 4-7-8 breathing technique, which has been shown to promote relaxation.

"There’s a lot of literature around this where you breathe in for 4 seconds, and you hold for 7, and then you breathe out your mouth for 8. And you do that about 4 to 5 times," White said

After completing the breathing exercise, White recommends shifting focus to positive thoughts.

"Think about three things you’re thankful for. And that’s it, it’s impossible or very difficult to be anxious whenever you’re in a grateful state," he said. "So if we can shift somebody from an anxious state by redirecting toward the breath and then redirecting toward gratefulness, 9 times out of 10, the next thing you remember is you're waking up in the morning."

For more information on the benefits of sleep, CLICK HERE.

For more information on how to get better sleep, CLICK HERE.