Sleep

Your brain and body functions stay active throughout sleep, but different things happen during each stage. For instance, certain stages of sleep are needed for us to feel well rested and energetic the next day, and other stages help us learn or make memories. Not getting enough sleep can be detrimental at best and dangerous at worst. Even prior to the stresses of COVID-19 the average American, regardless of demographic factors, was not getting enough good quality sleep and early research tells us the problem is now growing. As such, we wanted to provide some helpful information about sleep and what you can do to try to make improvements.

If you feel your sleep is not where it needs to be and it is impacting your health and well-being, please consider reaching out to a sleep center. Our local colleagues at Penn Sleep Medicine are among the best in the country at helping people get their sleep back on track. 

Ready to try making a change on your own? Consider keeping a sleep journal to look for factors in your life that predict better or worse sleep. You can also try  downloading CBT-i Coach, an empirically supported smart phone application that serves as an introduction to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia.

Quick Tips

Improving Sleep in Hospitals Sleep Hygiene 101

Guides for Change

NIH Guide to Health Sleep Center for Clinical Interventions
Sleep Basics
Sleep Checklist