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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (June 1, 2006)
Page 8 The INDEPENDENT, June 1, 2006 Health Notes SLEEP - ARE YOU GETTING ENOUGH? Recent research in the area of sleep has determined that as many as two-thirds of Ameri- cans lack enough sleep. Over time, inadequate sleep can lead to stress, depression, mental and physical exhaus- tion. We know that when we are not well rested, we do not perform at our best. Most adults need seven to eight hours of sleep each night, al- though many may need as few as five hours or as much as 10 hours of sleep daily. Children need even more sleep per 24 hour day. Both children and adults can use naps to get the total number of hours of rest they need. The focus here is for adults to meet their need for rest. Lack of sleep can be caused by many factors. Some are within our control while others are not. Life changes such as moving, taking a new job or as- signment at work, going on va- cation, marriage, and pregnan- cy cause us to worry rather than sleep when we go to bed. Parents of young children know that, until the children sleep soundly through the night, the parents will not be able to ei- ther. As we age, our sleep habits can change, causing less rest- ful sleep. Some medications al- ter sleep patterns and depres- sion can lead to sleep rhythms being disturbed. Medical providers should be consulted when sleep problems begin to interfere with functions of daily living. Is your sleep account over- drawn? Consider your sleep habits. Your body has a regular rhythm. Your body and your brain will tell you when they need rest. Use this information to set a regular going-to-bed- time and a regular getting-up- time. Keeping this simple rou- tine helps your body have the energy it needs every day. Sleep cannot be stored. Bodies need rest on a regular basis. Most people find that the conditions of the room are im- portant to sleeping well. Usual- ly, people want the room dark, cool and quiet. Window cover- ings, fans, and noise blockers can be used to achieve these requirements when needed. Some people use naps to get the extra sleep they need. Experts in the field of sleep suggest limiting an adult nap to less than 45 minutes and taking it before 4:00 p.m. to be able to get a full night’s sleep. Watch what you eat and drink in the evening. High pro- tein, caffeine, and high sugar foods can keep you awake. Liq- uids can cause you to have to get up in the night. Exercise earlier in the day can help you rest at night. Gen- erally, people find that they need to complete the exercise from three to six hours before trying to go to sleep. Avoid excitement before bedtime. This is not the time to begin thinking about the big project at work or open the statement from your stock bro- ker. Instead, try reading, taking a warm bath or shower, or oth- er routines to relax before bed- time. When traveling, try to keep your normal eating and sleep- ing routine. You may find it eas- ier to adjust to a different time zone by adjusting going-to-bed- times and waking-times before you leave home, to be the same as your destination. Some people plan for a day of rest after a long trip to let their bodies adjust to the changes. Rest is the reward for good sleep habits. All work, at home and on the job, is easier when a person is rested. Are you get- ting enough sleep? If these suggestions do not help im- prove the quality of rest, it may be time to schedule an appoint- ment with your family doctor to examine other options for get- ting the rest you need. Source: Jinny Hopp, Human Development Specialist, Jasper County University of Missouri Ex- tension M-B Health Fair in Mist serves 100 Mary Crawford, left, a Mist resident and R.N. at St. John’s Hospital in Longview, spent several hours providing choles- terol and glucose level screenings for attendees at the Mist- Birkenfeld Health Fair. Banks Pharmacy New Ownership Come meet M ar k S argeant, RP H Full-service pharmacy with hometown service! 10 am to 6 pm Monday - Friday 10 am to 2 pm Saturday Most major insurance plans accepted Located at Oak Village Center in Jim’s Thriftway 503-324-5780 503-324-5410 (fax) bankspharmacy@yahoo.com 040506 Approximately 100 people took advantage of a free health fair in Mist last month, to have their cholesterol, glucose lev- els and blood pressure checked. They also enjoyed chair massages and gathered information from a variety of providers. The fair was arranged by the Please see page 25