What are “Sleep Thieves?”

Sleep thieves include caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol, and should be minimized to promote optimal rest.

• Caffeine: Caffeine belongs to a group of drugs called “methylxanthines” which affect the body in numerous ways. Caffeine operates as a stimulant by targeting the central nervous system and triggering the release of stress hormones. It remains in the body for hours after consumption, and if consumed over the course of the day can have a cumulative affect, making it difficult both to fall asleep and remain asleep. To ensure that caffeine does not disturb your sleep, it is best to avoid this chemical for 10 hours before bedtime.
• Nicotine: This chemical, contained in tobacco products like cigarettes, also triggers the body’s stress response, obstructing your required quota of deep sleep. Recent research from Penn State University has shown that smokers may take twice as long to fall asleep as non-smokers. However, within two nights of giving up nicotine, the time it took ex-smokers to fall asleep feel from an average of 52 minutes to an average of 18 minutes.
• Alcohol: While a single glass of wine may have a calming affect, a larger amount of alcohol can interfere with the quality of your sleep by reducing the amount of deep sleep and REM sleep you obtain. After consuming alcohol at night, you may wake up periodically feeling disoriented and restless. Scaling back on alcohol by switching to water or juice before the end of the evening will help prevent a hangover and also  promote better quality sleep.

This entry was posted by Kiki Powers, MS, CNC on February 25th, 2008 under Health and Wellness with keywords .