HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR SLEEP By Nabil El-Ghoroury, PhD, CAE Nabil El-Ghoroury, PhD, CAE


Most Americans don’t get enough sleep. Almost four in ten adults have reported falling asleep unintentionally during the day at least once a month. Over 20 percent of Americans have a chronic sleep disorder. Sleep is so important for your physical and mental health. Problems with sleep are


associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes, and obesity.


Sleep is also a particular challenge for turfgrass producers. Your schedule might have you waking up before dawn and working until sunset and sometimes much later. If you don’t get enough sleep, you risk not only your long-term mental and physical health, but also short-term effects such as costly mistakes and accidents.


An evidence-based approach for improving your sleep is called sleep hygiene. Tere are entire books written on this topic, so here I will provide a “best of ” summary of this approach to help your sleep.


Steps for Sleep Hygiene


Have a consistent sleep schedule. While many of us might enjoy sleeping in on the weekends, our brains benefit from consistency. Do your best to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Ideally, go to bed at a time that will give you eight hours of sleep before you want to wake up. Naps and sleeping in can make you feel better in the short term, but they do not repair the long-term effects of consistently missing sleep.


Get sunshine daily. Getting consistent sunshine can help set your circadian rhythms, the brain system that regulates sleep. Many turfgrass producers might already get this as part of their regular work routine, but those of you who have more management or indoor positions might need to intentionally schedule time for a 15- to 30-minute walk during the day to get enough sunshine. Ideally, get this sunshine before noon to maximize its effectiveness.


68


Almost four in ten adults have reported falling asleep


unintentionally during the day at least once a month


Avoid caffeine in the afternoon. Too much caffeine or caffeine taken in the afternoon/ evening can keep you from falling asleep easily at night. Caffeine will affect each person differently, so you will have to test for yourself to determine what timing fits your limit. For example, I can have a small coffee at 2:00 pm and still go to sleep by 10:00 pm; but if I have that same coffee at 3:00 pm, I am up until at least midnight.


Please be aware that the caffeine impact can also change over time, so you might be able to handle a coffee in the early afternoon this year, but in a couple of years, your limit might be noon. Remember to examine product labels as caffeine is found in many kinds of drinks, energy and sports bars, diet supplements, and even some over-the-counter medications.


Limit blue light in the evening. Computers, phones, TVs, and other electronic devices emit blue light that triggers the same area of your brain as sunshine does. So, using electronics late at night could actually signal to your brain that you are still in the daytime and sleep is far off. At a minimum, wear glasses that block blue light. Even better is to put down the phone and computer at least an hour before bedtime. I realize this is a challenge for many business owners, but any reduction in blue light is better for your sleep and your health.


Establish a relaxing routine in the


evening. After dinner, start engaging in activities that will relax you and help you wind down. Try to avoid heavy exercise before sleep, so do your exercise in the morning or afternoon. Don’t eat a heavy meal just before going to bed. Te evening news is designed to raise your anxiety, so consider not watching the news before sleep.


Your body associates warming up with waking and cooling down with sleeping. To cool down at night, the best approach is a warm shower in the evening, which will encourage your body to gradually cool down as you prepare for bed, and a lower temperature in your bedroom (air conditioning in the summer, and lower heat in the winter).


TPI Turf News July/August 2023


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100