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‘The end of the beginning’ of flu season

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Latest forecast for weekend winter storm: 6-12 inches of snow, sub-zero wind chills

Now I do realize that I wrote about this just a few months ago; but if what I&#8217;ve been hearing from and seeing with friends, family and patients is any indication, it&#8217;s worth re-enforcing the message. SLEEP!Getting enough sleep has a massive effect on your overall health.Sleep is a big component of leading a healthy life. Even if you&#8217;re eating a healthy diet and exercising, if you&#8217;re not getting enough sleep, it can undermine those other healthy efforts.In the short term, not getting enough sleep can lead to a lack of alertness and impaired memory. The moodiness caused by a lack of sleep can cause relationship stress, making you more likely to have conflicts with others.Not getting enough sleep can also hinder your quality of life, making you less likely to exercise or participate in normal daily activities.In the long term, not getting enough sleep can put you at risk of serious health conditions.Adults should be getting between seven and nine hours of sleep every night.Aiming to get that many hours of sleep each night has some big pay-offs to your health, both physical and mental.1. It reduces your risk of serious health conditions Sleep is important to your heart health &#8211; it plays a role in healing and repairing your heart and blood vessels.Ongoing sleep deficiency has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke.Insufficient sleep has also been linked to an increased risk of diabetes.Sleep affects your body&#8217;s hormone levels and ability to regulate and metabolize glucose (blood sugar). Over time, not getting enough sleep could cause a higher than normal blood sugar level, thus increasing your risk of diabetes.2. It gives you better control over your weight Multiple studies show that people who sleep less are more likely to be obese.Sleep helps you maintain a healthy balance of the hormones that make you feel hungry or full. Getting plenty of sleep keeps these hormones in check, making you less likely to overeat, binge or gain weight.Being well rested also means you&#8217;ll have the energy to exercise or cook a healthy meal at the end of the work day.If you&#8217;re working in the gym to get stronger, your body uses most of the night to heal the damage done to cells and tissues when you were metabolically active. That means getting more sleep may help you build muscle more easily than if you&#8217;re sleep deprived.3. You may not need to go to the doctor as frequently Of course you still need your routine physical exams, but you may be less likely to call your doctor for a sick visit.Your immune system relies on you getting sleep to stay healthy. Ongoing sleep deficiency can change the way your immune system defends your body against foreign or harmful substances. Getting enough sleep keeps your immune system working properly.Studies have shown that people who get seven hours of sleep or less are almost three times more likely to get sick than people who get at least eight hours of sleep a night.4. You&#8217;re less prone to injury Getting enough sleep may keep you safer.When you&#8217;re sleep deprived, you&#8217;re more likely to trip, fall, or cut yourself while slicing vegetables &#8211; and those types of household accidents can be serious.In fact, being well rested can potentially reduce your risk of a car accident. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drowsy driving accounts for thousands of crashes, injuries and fatalities each year.In addition to your physical health, more quality sleep can also improve your mood and memory as well as help you think clearer and make better decisions throughout the day.So turn off the TV, put down your phone, snuggle in and do your body a favor, go to sleep.<style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Alfred CasaleTo Your Health</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Dr. Alfred Casale, a cardiothoracic surgeon, is associate chief medical officer for Geisinger and chair of the Geisinger Heart Institute. Readers may write to him via ae@www.timesleader.com.</shirttailMeta></div>

Do your health a favor and go to sleep