Good sleep is crucial for overall health and well-being. In fact, insufficient sleep is linked to a range of health issues, including increased risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and stroke, dementia, and mental health problems. Adults should get at least seven a hours of sleep each night to help stave off these bad health outcomes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

So how have you been sleeping lately? If you’re not getting enough sleep, if you awaken frequently in the night, and/or if you wake up in the morning feeling tired, Tracy Voelckel, a new sleep specialist and Registered Polysomnographic Technologist at Memorial Regional Health, has some tips and advice to get your sleep back on track.

1. Improve sleep hygiene

Sleep hygiene means the habits you control that help or hinder your ability to get a good night’s sleep. “I believe this is an area we could all improve on,” Voelckel said. “It’s common to let distractions pollute our sleep space.”

Voelckel says that the following intentional choices are essential to good sleep hygiene, especially for people experiencing insomnia:

• Regular exercise. Daily activity improves sleep quality, but vigorous exercise near bedtime releases endorphins that can keep you awake.
• A consistent schedule. Go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends. Avoid daytime napping.
• Relaxation. Create a relaxing bedtime routine, such as taking a warm bath or meditating.
• A calm sleeping space. Make sure your bedroom is dark, quiet, and cool. Turn off distractions such as televisions and phones.
• A healthy dinner. Eating too much or too little before bed can be disruptive.
• Limited caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine, especially after noon. All of these substances can disrupt sleep cycles.

2. Try the 20- minute rule

If you can’t fall asleep in 20 minutes, get out of bed, go to another room, and do something boring or relaxing until you feel sleepy again. “Don’t let your bed be the place that you lie and worry,” Voelckel said. “Also avoid turning on your devices at this time.”

3. Consider how inadequate sleep may be harming your health

Are you struggling with obesity, Type 2 diabetes, depression or anxiety, heart disease, immune dysfunction, or other health issues? If so, your sleep problems may be a major contributing factor. What’s more, if you don’t already have serious health problems, you may be developing them as a result of your poor sleep.

4. Get checked for sleep apnea

If you’re experiencing restless sleep, snoring, waking up gasping, and/or not feeling rested upon waking, you might have a serious medical condition such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). “More than 50 million Americans have chronic sleep disorders,” Voelckel said. “And about 20% of US adults have OSA, but most don’t realize it. If you have OSA, it’s important to get tested and treated because the low oxygen levels of OSA seriously strain your heart and brain and can contribute to many life-threatening illnesses.” Take this simple screening quiz to learn if you might have OSA. http://www.stopbang.ca/osa/screening.php Next, see your primary care provider if you believe you might have OSA. They may order a simple at-home sleep test to determine if more follow-up is needed.

5. Take sleep treatment seriously

If it turns out you do have OSA or another sleep disorder such as chronic insomnia or restless leg syndrome, it’s important to receive a diagnosis from your primary care provider and follow their treatment recommendations. Continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, is the gold standard of care for OSA because it keeps your airways open while you sleep, ensuring your body gets the oxygen it needs.

At the new sleep lab located inside The Memorial Hospital, Voelckel conducts sleep testing on patients whose physicians order full diagnostics for various types of sleep disorders. “Patients spend the night here at MRH for an in-lab sleep study where they are hooked up to monitors that record brain activity, oxygen levels, and breathing patterns while they sleep,” Voelckel said. “You have a private room with bathroom that is quiet, dark, and temperature-controlled. We provide a comfortable and adjustable queen-sized bed. It’s a painless, simple process.”

Voelckel emphasizes that the MRH sleep lab is an important community asset. “Not only is it convenient to have a sleep lab here in Craig, it is also important to have your sleep study done close to home,” she said. “Having your sleep testing done at the same altitude where you sleep is ideal. If you have a sleep study at a lower elevation than where you live, the test may assess your breathing needs are lower than they actually are at your regular altitude.”

To learn more about sleep studies at MRH, visit memorialregionalhealth.com or call MRH cardiopulmonary services at 970-826-2211.