PORTLAND, Ore. — It's not just the dark nights and holiday rush creating anxiety this season. Doctors say a lack of sleep can send your stress levels soaring.
Dr. Paul Giger, the medical director of behavioral health at Providence Health Plan, said those who don’t get proper sleep are at risk of having hypertension, high cortisol levels, a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and even a greater chance of cancer.
He said getting sleep is one of the most important steps in preventing the wear and tear of stress on your body.
“The payoff you get from improving your sleep is so big,” said Dr. Giger. “Compared to the investment, that's really the first place I go for people."
He said there are plenty of things to be stressed out about this time of year, and being less active, eating poorly and drinking alcohol are all traditional triggers.
“But now we know, people who are just sleeping less than optimally are probably putting a stress on their physical and mental health."
Dr. Giger said "sleep medicine" is a relatively new concept: Improve your sleep, improve your health.
“Typically, it's fixable with a behavior change,” he said.
Dr. Giger said the best way to improve sleep is better “sleep hygiene.":
- Keep a regular bedtime and waking time every day of the week.
- Avoid naps, with the exception of a brief 15-minute nap well-after getting up in the morning.
- Limit exposure to bright light before sleep, or during the night
- Keep your clock turned away from you.
- And keep it cool to avoid overheating while sleeping.
According to Providence.org, those with mental health issues including ADHD, anxiety and depression often struggle with sleep — getting either too little or too much.
But Dr. Giger said, if you make a solid sleep plan, and stick to it, you may enjoy a much more relaxing holiday season.
For more information, check out this Providence blog post.