On this Wellness Wednesday, Action News Now anchor Haley Watts looks at recent research to explain why so many people struggle with sleep, the problems it causes, and what can be done about it.
Butte County, California – In this Wellness Wednesday segment, Action News Now anchor Haley Watts takes a deep dive into why sleep is so important.
How are you sleeping at night? Like 35% to 50% of people in the United States, you may suffer from insomnia. This is according to data published in the Journal of Sleep Medicine.
This is something many on the Action News Now team struggle with as well.
“I think it’s the feeling of sleepiness, because at the end of the day, you have a lot on your mind!” explained Telemundo anchor Brianda Lemus Ceballos.
“When you come to work (if you don’t sleep well) you feel irritable, tired and fatigued,” Action News Now executive producer Melissa Joseph said.
Holistic healthcare expert Vanashree Belgamwar, who holds a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery, says sleep disorders are not just frustrating but can also be closely linked to depression.
“Sleep is when your tissues, your body resets and sends a signal to your body that you’ve had enough rest — rest for not only your body, but your emotions, your mind and the physical layers of your being,” Bergamowal said. “This emotional blockage or burden continues to grow every night. The longer you don’t sleep, the more these things build up in your system.”
A 2019 study published in the Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine backs up her idea. But the researchers found that taking antidepressants can also disrupt sleep, so they recommended alternative treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, discriminative stimulation, and deep brain stimulation.
In addition to the mental toll that sleep deprivation can take, a meta-analysis by the California Institute of Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychology found a strong association between lack of sleep and the more rapid onset of insulin resistance.
“Think of it like you can’t take your trash out every day. You’re not sleeping so you’re just collecting it over and over again. But if you are sleeping, then it’s your body’s natural or intuitive cycle and now is the time to cleanse,” Belgamwar said.
Many people turn to over-the-counter medications.
“Honestly, allergy medicine that makes you sleepy, melatonin. Costco has good sleeping pills. Honestly, anything will do,” Action News Now producer Emily Cuellar explained.
“We’re not against taking supplements. I’ve seen many of my patients take melatonin, magnesium threonate, and valerian root tea. But what we have to understand is that a lot of these supplements are highly addictive and you need to increase your intake over a period of time to get the most benefit from them,” Belgamwar said.
Some sleep aids work better than others: A double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in 2012 found that boosting magnesium levels increased sleep efficiency, improved melatonin function, reduced cortisol, and reduced the number of times you woke up during the night.
Beyond ingesting something, consider exposing yourself to light before bed: Harvard researchers found that bright light from cell phones, computers, and televisions increases cortisol production and suppresses melatonin production.
Matt Wreden, digital content manager at Action News Now, has no trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, and he shared some of his secrets.
“I always aim to get seven to eight hours of sleep, and since college I’ve been strict on limiting screen time before bed. Moderate exercise helps me sleep better,” Redden says.
If that doesn’t work, try breathing.
“Breathing from the back of the throat, cooling and calming breathing techniques are very common in the yoga world. That kind of thing is very beneficial,” Belgamwar said.
