Getting Started
Sleep Mechanics and Sleep Deprivation
Causes of Sleep Deprivation
How to Get Sound Sleep
Summary: Sweet Dreams
In our efforts to lead a healthy life, we tend to focus more on diet, exercise, and stress management than on sleep. If you’re among those not getting enough slumber, you're not alone. Today, about 35% of Americans sleep less than the recommended seven hours per night, according to the CDC. Things were vastly different in generations past; in 1910, Americans slept around nine hours per night.
The five sections in "Improving Your Sleep" will give you a better understanding of sleep hygiene and sleep mechanics as well as sleep disorders and deprivation. You'll learn what's at stake with sleeplessness—including medical conditions that can arise when you skimp on slumber.
Most important, you'll find a host of effective strategies for attaining better sleep habits—strategies that involve diet, lifestyle, timing, and more. Plus, learn about common deterrents to a good night's sleep, from caffeine and late-night exercise to stress and pregnancy.
