Sleep. For some it’s elusive, for other’s it’s a nuisance, but for everyone it’s essential. And here in our clinic, in “the city that never sleeps,” we hear a lot about people’s relationship to rest.
Researchers loosely agree that 7-9 hours is the necessary snoozing time needed by the average adult. But many New Yorkers spend their days actively fighting to beat this basic need. With coffee shops on every corner, we can always buy another espresso, latte, or just a simple black coffee; Then we’re just a sip away from that special mix of adrenaline and hormones that gets you feeling like you can keep at it for hours. But consistent use of caffeine isn't without its risks. While regularly using small about of caffeine to manage your sleep cycle can be a positive routine, constantly upping your intake can cause serious health issues - and in extreme cases has caused death.
Sleep is critical for a healthy and productive brain. It allows the body to do its housekeeping: tidying up connections between neural synapses and sweeping away extraneous information cluttering your thought process.
Our sleep systems have evolved in response to our environment, our sleep is directly linked to light exposure. Which is why all that time we spend on electronics scrambles our circadian rhythms. The blue light from computer and phone screens suppresses melatonin and tricks our brain into thinking it’s early morning.
As New Yorkers, we often think of ourselves as a cut above the rest: We can sleep a little less, work a little harder, and reap the benefits more efficiently than just about anyone else. But as it turns out, sleep deprivation - like alcohol - not only weighs on your health and productivity, it also clouds your judgement about how well you’re performing. The truth is, that as New Yorkers, we need sleep just as much as any other human.
At BAP much of the work that we do is bringing your body back into homeostasis. This alone can make a big impact on your sleep cycle. We also have specific treatments to help patients who have a long term history of challenges with sleep.
In fact, sleep cycles are at the root of so many of symptoms that we see here at BAP, that we’ve put together a short guide to good sleep hygiene. It’s all simple information, but it makes a BIG impact. Check it out and see what you can incorporate into your routine. And if you have questions, you know where to find us!
