Wellness Wednesday Tip #37: Get at Least 7 Hours of Quality Sleep Each Night!

Happy Wellfie Wednesday Folk! Welcome Back!

     This week we have a guest promoter of health, Dr. Katie Siegsukon, PT, PhD, who is an associate professor at University of Kansas Medical Center and director of the Brain Behavior Lab. Her focus is in how sleep impacts function and recovery, specifically in those with neurological injury or disease. Katie’s tip this week is to get at least 7 hours of quality sleep each night.

     The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) recommends that adults obtain at least seven hours of sleep each night. Sleep has an important role in the proper functioning of most, if not all, body systems. Sleep is critical for immune function, tissue healing, pain modulation, cardiovascular health, cognitive function, and learning and memory. Without adequate sleep, people can experience increased pain perception, loss of function, reduced quality of life, depression, increased anxiety, impaired memory and cognitive function, reduced ability to learn motor skills, and are at an increased risk for accidents, injuries, and falls. Increasing amounts of evidence demonstrate that chronic insufficient sleep contributes to the development of many health problems, including hypertension, cardiovascular disease, obesity, depression, and diabetes and is associated with increased risk of dementia and increased mortality. Screening for sleep disorders, regular exercise, and practicing good sleep hygiene are strategies to promote good sleep quality.

     So get a good night’s sleep! Thanks again for all of the #WellfieWednesday support, be sure to post your pictures again this week and tag Katie (@KatieSleepPT) , as well as other WW crew members (@PBernerSPT, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @AaronPerezPT, @fitnerdaimee) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

     - WW Crew