As in, ZZZZZZZzzzzzzz. Hopefully, you might sleep through this workshop, and it won’t be due to boredom. We’ll talk about healthy sleeping patterns and habits, strategies for better sleep, and hopefully get to practice a little.

1. ZZZZZ WORKSHOP
MUS WELLNESS

2. ZZZZZZ OBJECTIVES
• As in, Zzzzzzzzzzz. Hopefully, you might sleep through this
workshop, and it won’t be due to boredom. We’ll talk about
healthy sleeping patterns and habits, strategies for better
sleep, and hopefully get to practice a little.

3. SLEEP QUIZ
• How many hours of sleep did you get last night?
• What is the recommended amount of sleep per night for adults?
• What percentage of American adults get the recommended amount of sleep?
• Which of the following has shown to be associated with a lack of sleep?
a) Lowered immune response to flu vaccine
b) Decreased perception of emotions in others
c) Hyperactivity in children
d) All of the above
• The average lifespan for a rat is 2-3 years. When deprived of REM sleep, how long do rats typically live?
a) 18 months
b) 12 months
c) 3 months
d) 5 weeks

4. SLEEP FUNCTION
• Neural: Brain pathways formed and/or strengthened
during sleep.
• Sleep is an active process!
• Growth & repair of cells
• Learning – REM sleep
• Memory
• Consolidation phase
• Mood
• Motivation, judgment, perception of events

5. SLEEP CYCLE
• Non-REM sleep
• Stage 1- light sleep, muscles relax, awakened easily
• Stage 2 – 50% of total sleep time, HR slows, BP lowers
• Stage 3 & 4 – 20% total sleep time – very deep sleep, restorative stages
crucial for feeling well rested
• Delta waves

6. SLEEP CYCLE
• REM – 20% total sleep time
• Dreaming occurs
• Arms & legs temporarily paralyzed
• Breathing/BP/HR irregular
• Stimulates brain regions associated with learning and making memories
• Sleep stages repeat continuously throughout the night w/REM becoming
longer
• Typical sleep cycle is 90 minutes
• REM & Non-REM both vital to proper body functioning

7. CIRCADIAN RHYTHM
• Circadian Rhythm – physiological changes that follow a 24 hour
cycle
• Driven by internal clock
• SCN (suprachiasmatic nucleus)
• Responsive to light & dark
• Triggers hormone production & body temperature regulation to produce
natural fluctuations in sleepiness & alertness
• Adults: feel most tired between midnight – 7AM (2-4AM in particular) and 1-4PM
• Melatonin & Cortisol
• Exposure to bright light in the late evening may disrupt melatonin peak
• Rhythm changes with age/life stages

8. ADDITIONAL BIOLOGICAL INFLUENCES
• Sleep promoters
• Adenosine – builds up during awake time, broken down during sleep
• Sleep/wake homeostasis
• Sleep debt
• Caffeine blocks adenosine cell receptors
• Estrogen & progesterone
• Cytokines – immune system cells
• Increase need for sleep (may help body fight infection by conserving resources)

9. SLEEP DEPRIVATION
• Link to chronic diseases
• Diabetes
• Sleep associated with improved blood sugar control
• Study: Healthy young men allowed to sleep only 4 hours/night for 6 nights had
insulin & glucose levels that matched diagnosis for pre-diabetes
• Cardiovascular Disease
• Cardiovascular system needs rest too! System given a little break (our bodies need
that dip in BP and slow down of HR)
• Sleep apnea = significant risk factor for hypertension, stroke, coronary heart
disease, and arrhythmias

10. SLEEP DEPRIVATION
• Link to chronic diseases
• Obesity
• Sleep is a powerful regulator of appetite
• During sleep
• Grehlin (appetite stimulant) decreases
• Leptin (appetite suppressant) increases
• Studies show sleep deprivation increased intake of calories and carbohydrates
• Depression
• Sleep disturbance both a symptom and perhaps a cause

11. FOUR MOST COMMON SLEEP DISORDERS
• Four most common disorders
• Insomnia – trouble falling or staying asleep
• Temporary vs chronic (3 nights/week for > 1 month)
• Chronic insomnia usually a secondary condition, caused by factors such as medications,
depression/anxiety or other neuro/pysch disorders, hormones
• Sleep apnea – pauses in breathing while sleeping due to airway getting blocked by soft
tissue
• Loud, frequent snoring most common symptom
• 50% of people undiagnosed
• Restless Leg Syndrome
• Narcolepsy

12. FOUR MOST COMMON SLEEP DISORDERS
When should I talk to my doctor?
• It takes more than 30 minutes to fall asleep at night
• You awaken frequently at night and then have trouble
falling back to sleep again
• You awaken too early in the AM
• You often don’t feel well rested despite spending 7–8
hours or more asleep at night.
• You feel sleepy during the day and fall asleep within
5 minutes if you have an opportunity to nap, or you fall
asleep unexpectedly or at inappropriate times during
the day.
• Your bed partner claims you snore loudly, snort, gasp, or
make choking sounds while you sleep, or your partner
notices that your breathing stops for short periods
• You have creeping, tingling, or crawling feelings in your
legs that are relieved by moving or massaging them,
especially in the evening or when you are trying to fall
asleep
• You have sudden muscle weakness when you are angry
or fearful, or when you laugh
• You feel as though you cannot move when you first wake
up
• Your bed partner notices your arms or legs jerk often
during sleep
• You regularly need stimulants to stay awake during the
day

13. SLEEP RECOMMENDATIONS
• 7-8 hours per day for adults
• Depends somewhat on the individual (5-9 hrs)
• Quality & timing as important
Naps!
• 20-30 minutes. Not after 5PM
• Long naps can trigger sleep inertia

14. THE TRAP OF THE 21ST CENTURY WEST
• We are busier than ever. We live in a non-stop, on-the-go, information age.
Many people struggle with work/life balance and the cumulative stress of
multi-tasking and a myriad of responsibilities.
• What is sacrificed when we cannot complete all of the tasks?
• Exercise
• Recreation
• Good Nutrition
• SLEEP!

16. TIPS TO IMPROVE SLEEP!
• Avoid caffeine 4-6 hours before bed, avoid nicotine too
• (actually, go ahead and avoid nicotine all the time)
• Limit or avoid alcohol before bed
• Inhibits REM and stage 3 non-REM sleep

17. TIPS TO IMPROVE SLEEP!
• Sleep-inducing environment – quiet, dark, cool
• Temperature – 60-75 degrees
• Well-ventilated
• Eliminate distractions – computer, TV, bright lights, phone
• Comfortable bed
• Clock face – don’t be a clock watcher
• Limit bedroom activities to the two S’s

18. TIPS TO IMPROVE SLEEP!
• Stick to a consistent sleep schedule as much as possible
• Even on weekends
• Soothing pre-sleep routine
• Hot bath
• Non-stressful or stimulating activities
• Light reading or listening to music
• Avoid large meals and/or lots of fluids before bed
• Get enough physical activity
• Try to end 3 hours before going to sleep
• Get up if not asleep in 20 minutes
• Relaxation exercises – mental & physical

19. LET’S RELAX, SHALL WE?

20. • montanamovesandmeals.com
• wellness.mus.edu
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• @montanameals
• @montanamoves