What’s keeping you awake at night? The lousy economy or money issues? Maybe you’re concerned about losing your job or just lost your job.

Did you know that one-third of Americans are losing sleep over the state of the U.S. economy and other personal financial concerns? This is according to a new poll released in March of this year by the National Sleep Foundation.

Two out of every ten Americans sleep less than six hours a night. Your body needs seven to eight hours. Those of you sleeping too few hours report being too tired to work efficiently, to exercise or to eat healthy. The poll suggests that inadequate sleep is associated with unhealthy lifestyles and negatively impacts health and safety.  You might be thinking….how does lack of sleep affect safety? How about drowsy driving? The 2009 poll finds that 54% of adults (that’s potentially 110 million licensed drivers) have driven when drowsy at least once in the past year. Nearly 28% of drivers polled say that they have nodded off or fallen asleep while driving a vehicle. Now that’s scary!

Speaking of driving while you’re asleep, I have to share this report from the Food and Drug Administration or FDA where a woman in Virginia allowed herself two pieces of chocolate per day. Here’s the problem: after taking her prescription sleep medication at night she began waking up to an empty box of chocolates. After consulting with her doctor and waking up to an empty chocolate box a number of times, it was decided that she had been “sleep eating”. This occurrence is known as a complex sleep-related behavior. Sleep eating, sleep driving, making phone calls or having sex are all behaviors that may occur. Most people do not remember these events later and they can occur with some prescription sleep aids. So, if you consider a prescription sleep aid or are taking one now, be sure and read the patient insert and discuss this potential side effect with your doctor.

So just how many people around the nation are losing sleep? Well, according to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 70 million people in the US are affected by a chronic sleep disorder. And ladies, it turns out that we are suffering from lack of sleep more often than men and with increasing frequency as we age.  Does this sound familiar?

Sleep is the time that your body restores and maintains itself. Think of it like rebooting your computer.  Here are five tips that may help you get a better night’s sleep:

1. Just like you may have a workout routine, have a bedtime routine and keep regular sleep times. Your body craves a sleep routine and gets into a rhythm. Remember, there’re TIVO and DVRs so you don’t have to stay up all night to catch your favorite shows! Once in a rhythm, your body will begin to let you know it’s tired and ready for sleep at about the same time each night.
2. Exercise, yes this includes sex, improves sleep. Try to get in some exercise during the day but make sure to finish a couple of hours before you turn in so you’re not wired and unable to sleep.
3. You’ll love this one. Don’t go to bed hungry. Try a light carb snack like a piece of fruit.
4. Nix the caffeine by mid afternoon so it doesn’t keep you awake.
5. Make sure your bedroom is dark, cool, quiet and comfortable. Make your bedroom inviting for a great night’s rest. Remember this is the place where you escape whatever it is that stresses you out.  Create your own personal bedtime ritual. Try using aromatherapy or a warm bubble bath. Listen to your favorite relaxing music or read a book. But give your laptop, work materials and other such distractions the boot. Your bedroom is your place to chill, not get worked up again and be too stressed to sleep.

Now more than ever a good night’s sleep is important to your overall health and wellness.  Along with a great diet and exercise, plenty of sleep will help you better cope with the stresses of today’s world. Take care of you…you’re worth it.

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