Good Sleep, Good Health: Expert Advice From a Valley Health Sleep Specialist

Can’t sleep?

You’re not alone.

The recommended amount of sleep for adults is at least 7 hours each day, with quality sleep defined as falling asleep with ease and staying asleep throughout the night. However, a 2022 sleep survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 36.9% of adults in Virginia and 42.6% of adults in West Virginia were not getting enough sleep.

Good sleep, which is essential for our health and emotional well-being, can keep you from getting sick. Without it, you are more likely to maintain an unhealthy weight, experience negative impacts on your cognition and memory, and increase your risk of chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

So, how do you know when you’re simply having a rough patch of bad sleep, or when it’s more serious?

“Really, it is about length of time that the problem lasts and the severity of impact on your functioning,” says Jeffery Lessar, MD, of Valley Health Pulmonary and Sleep Specialists. “Periods of insomnia, or good and bad nights, can vary. But if the bad nights become more frequent or concerning, then it is worth discussing further.”

The first step is to see your primary care provider. While a sleep study may be necessary to make a diagnosis, it is not required for all sleep disorders. Talk through your symptoms and concerns with your provider and come up with a plan of action for better sleep.

“We all do best with a sleep routine,” Dr. Lessar says. “Aim for seven to eight hours of sleep. Bright light, ideally sunshine in the morning, can help entrain a good sleep routine. And conversely, light in the evening can affect your sleep, so avoid phones, tablets, computers, and TVs for at least 30 minutes before your desired bedtime. Alcohol does not improve sleep quality.”

For more information, visit valleyhealth.com/sleep.