news

한어Русский языкEnglishFrançaisIndonesianSanskrit日本語DeutschPortuguêsΕλληνικάespañolItalianoSuomalainenLatina

Expert interviewed: Li Hongmei, chief physician of the Department of Internal Medicine, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine

Global Times Health Client Reporter Yu Ye

One-third of a person's life is spent sleeping, and good sleep is essential for physical and mental health. In the fast-paced modern life, many people often do not get enough sleep or have poor sleep quality. On July 23, Rebecca Robbins, a sleep expert at Harvard Medical School, published an article in the New England Journal of Medicine, pointing out that high-quality sleep can be "cultivated".

Li Hongmei, chief physician of the Department of Internal Medicine at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, told the Global Times Health Client reporter: "In the outpatient clinic, patients who come for treatment due to sleep problems are mainly divided into four categories: those who have difficulty falling asleep, those who have light sleep and wake up easily, those who wake up in the middle of the night and have difficulty falling asleep, and some patients who suffer from insomnia all night. Their wish is to have a good night's sleep."

What does high-quality sleep look like? Rebecca Robbins points out that sleep health should include multiple dimensions.

First, adequate sleep time that matches age. The sleep time for different age groups is different. Infants aged 4 to 12 months are recommended to sleep 12 to 16 hours a day (including naps); children aged 1 to 2 years are recommended to sleep 11 to 14 hours (including naps); children aged 3 to 5 years are recommended to sleep 10 to 13 hours; children aged 6 to 12 years are recommended to sleep 9 to 12 hours; children aged 13 to 18 years are recommended to sleep 8 to 10 hours; and adults are recommended to sleep 7 to 9 hours a day.

Second, continuous and efficient sleep, including deep and continuous sleep without waking up in the middle.

Third, high-quality sleep. Non-rapid eye movement sleep is a high-quality sleep stage that is essential for the repair and recovery of the body. Typically, non-rapid eye movement sleep should account for 15% to 25% of an adult's total sleep time.

Fourth, the right sleep time. The bedtime and wake-up time should be consistent throughout the week, and the sleep time should also be consistent with the light and dark pattern in the external environment.

Sleep affects both physical and mental health. Physiologically, long-term lack of sleep is associated with an increased risk of a variety of chronic diseases, includingheart disease、diabetes、hypertension, obesity andcancerIn terms of psychology, lack of sleep may lead to emotional instability, increased anxiety,Depressionand other mental health problems. Li Hongmei said that severe insomnia may even develop schizophrenia. Cognitively, sleep deprivation impairs basic cognitive functions such as alertness and attention. Insufficient sleep is also associated with impaired glucose metabolism in the prefrontal cortex, which is associated with higher-level cognitive and executive functions.

How can you get a good night's sleep? Rebecca Robbins gives the following suggestions.

1. Regular daily routine.Keeping the same bedtime and wake-up time every day can help you sleep more regularly and improve your ability to fall asleep quickly and stay asleep. No matter how long or short you slept the day before, wake up at the same time the next day. When traveling or working overtime breaks your daily routine, you should also try to maintain the habit of regular sleep.

2.Take a short nap every day.15 to 30 minutes is the best, and no more than 60 minutes is the maximum. Li Hongmei said: "Some patients said that taking a nap until 5 or 6 in the evening would have an adverse effect on their sleep at night. In addition, people who have difficulty sleeping at night should avoid taking a nap."

3.Limit caffeine intake after lunch.People can get caffeine from foods such as coffee, tea, cola and chocolate. Caffeine will stay in the body and keep people awake and energetic for 6 hours or more after intake. Therefore, it is recommended not to drink coffee or eat chocolate 8 hours before going to bed to avoid difficulty falling asleep.

4. Stop smoking and drinking。Drinking alcohol can reduce sleep quality. Even drinking a small amount of alcohol can inhibit sleep, increase the risk of sleep fragmentation, and prevent the body from getting a deep rest. Nicotine in tobacco is a stimulant that makes it difficult to fall asleep. A German survey on the sleep quality of 1,071 smokers showed that 17% of smokers slept less than 6 hours a night, and 28% had poor sleep quality and more shallow sleep.

5. Keep exercising.Daytime exercise helps reduce stress and promotes sleep. It is best to do it 5 days a weekAerobic exercise, 20 to 30 minutes each time, such as walking, jogging, etc. Don't wait until too late to exercise, just sweat slightly, there is no need to deliberately pursue excessive fatigue.

6. Create a high-quality sleeping environment.Noise and light exposure at night may interfere with sleep. White noise or earplugs can reduce noise, blackout curtains or eye masks can reduce light, and avoid watching TV or electronic products before going to bed. Li Hongmei reminded: "Feeling hot will make it difficult to fall asleep. Air conditioning can be used to create a comfortable temperature on summer nights. It is not recommended to watch murder-solving dramas before going to bed, as the tension will make it difficult to fall asleep."

7.Don't put an alarm clock in the bedroom.Avoid checking the time during the night, as this increases cognitive arousal and prolongs wakefulness.

8.Don't eat before bed.Try to keep 1.5 to 2 hours between dinner and bedtime, and avoid fast food, as it will take a long time to digest.

9. Watch less TV and use your mobile phone.The blue light from the screen prevents the body from producing melatonin and affects falling asleep.

Finally, Li Hongmei suggested massaging the whole body or head before going to bed.Acupuncture, moxa leaves, and foot bathing can all help improve sleep. In addition, she also recommended a tea recipe - Chinese date kernel rose tea. Crack the Chinese date kernel open, add an appropriate amount of boiling water, boil it, then turn to low heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, then add roses and boil it, turn off the heat, cover the lid and simmer for 10 minutes before drinking. It can not only relieve body fatigue, help fall asleep, but also moisturize the lungs and strengthen the spleen and stomach. But it is not recommended to drink it before going to bed, so as not to get up frequently at night and affect sleep. ▲

Editor: Xu Menglian

Editor-in-Chief: Zhang Mian