Celebrate Better Sleep Month — With Better Sleep!

By Robyn Mincher, DCoE Strategic Communications

Most of us have a few mornings where we wished we had slept better the night before. Trouble falling and/or staying asleep not only makes you feel lethargic the next day, it can cause psychological issues if sleep problems persist and are left ignored. Sleep problems can affect everyone, but they can particularly impact the military community as post-combat concerns, such as flashbacks, hypervigilance and reintegration stress can all interrupt sleep.

May is Better Sleep Month, and there’s never been a better time to learn how to sleep better. We asked Dr. Anthony Panettiere, National Intrepid Center of Excellence neurology and sleep medicine physician, how to sleep better and be mentally fit to take on the next day. He suggests:

■Keep a routine. Try to wake up at the same time each day in bright light, but only go to bed when fully sleepy. Dim the lights 60 minutes before your desired bedtime to promote the release of melatonin, your brain's natural sleep hormone.

■Listen to your body. If you’re sleepy early in the evening, retire to bed rather than try to get a few more things done in your day. Those things can usually wait until tomorrow, and you’ll be more alert trying to complete them.

■Attempt to exercise daily. Try to be active for at least 45 minutes — a mix of cardio and weights not only improves your overall health and keeps your body fat down, but it also strongly promotes sleep.

■Avoid time monitoring when trying to sleep. Use your clock only for the alarm function and not as a reminder that you're missing out on sleep. Sleep just happens, and cannot be willed to occur. Proper preparation for sleeping gives you the best chance of falling asleep and staying asleep.

■Look at the cause. If you’re having insomnia issues, some causes include anxiety, pain and your environment (snoring bed partner, room temperature, comfort of bed, etc.). If pain is the cause, then optimizing pain control with your doctor should help. If the issue is your environment, try sleeping in a different bedroom or changing mattresses.

■Keep a journal. If anxiety or emotional issues prevent you from sleeping well, your mind is likely too active processing these issues. One treatment includes sitting down outside your bedroom and journaling your thoughts and feelings, random as they may be. This activity can help your brain compartmentalize these issues and figuratively take them out of your head. In the morning, they can be reviewed and dealt with more effectively as you’ll be more alert and refreshed.

For more on sleep, check out this blog post by Dr. James Bender, DCoE psychologist, on sleep deprivation. Afterdeployment.org offers assessments and videos on improving sleep. The Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) February webinar discussed sleep problems in individuals experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury.