Health Reflection | winter 2009

Is Lack of Sleep
Weighing You Down?

The warmly decorated rooms at the Sleep Disorders Center at Sts. Mary & Elizabeth Hospital have been designed to offer a home-like, comforting environment for patients.
A number of studies have found a strong connection between lack of sleep and increased weight gain. According to Dr. Pete Moore, medical director for the Sleep Disorders Center at Sts. Mary & Elizabeth Hospital, “Unfortunately, people who carry excess weight are already at a higher risk for sleep problems — creating a destructive cycle of weight gain. If you’re not getting at least seven hours of sleep a night, it’s time to take action.”
  • Pete Moore, M.D.
    Establish a sleep-wake cycle by going to bed and waking up at the same time each day.
  • Increase exercise levels during the day, but refrain from physical activity close to bedtime.
  • If you nap, keep it to less than one hour and don’t nap after 3 p.m.
  • Stay away from caffeine, alcohol and nicotine for four to six hours before sleep.
  • Create a relaxing bedtime routine.

If these tips don’t help get your sleep back on track, call your doctor. You may have a sleep disorder that requires a sleep study.

To take a FREE risk assessment for sleep, go to our Web site, www.jhsmh.org/sleep. For more information, call 512-361-6777.