A good night’s sleep is a critical component of
living healthy especially with hepatitis C. As any insomiac will tell
you, getting a restful night’s sleep may be one of the most difficult
goals to achieve, but man when you get one it’s like achieving
nirvana!
Recently, the National Sleep
Foundation released new recommendations for Americans of every age.
While these are recommendations, there are always reasons why people
may require more sleep than recommended. For instance, if you have an
illness or are being treated for hepatitis C your body needs more sleep
than recommended to heal and recover.
1. The National Sleep Foundation recommends the following hours of sleep every day:
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Newborns (0-3 months): 14-17 hours
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Infants (4-11 months): 12-15 hours
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Toddlers (1-2 years): 11-14 hours
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Preschoolers (3-5 years): 10-13 hours
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School-age children (6-13): 9-11 hours
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Teenagers (14-17): 8-10 hours
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Young Adults & Adults (18-64): 7-9 hours
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Older Adults (65+): 7-8 hours
2. Causes of insomnia: There are many causes of insomnia or sleeplessness including:
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Living with hepatitis C and the uncertainty of life with a potentially deadly illness
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People who are on HCV treatment may worry about being cured
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Sleep Apnea (a medical condition that interferes with people’s breathing while they sleep)
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Certain prescribed and over-the-counter medications
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A sleeping partner who snores or is restless (including pets)
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Too much alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, too little or too much food before bedtime
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Change in work schedule
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Traveling long distances, travel across time zones, and many, many more reasons
3. Complications of
Insomnia:
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Anxiety and depression
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Slow reaction times and poor work performance
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Irritability
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Increased risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes
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Substance use
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Overeating and obesity that could lead to fatty liver
4. Self-Help Tips:
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Limit caffeine, soda, tea, chocolate
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Avoid or cut back on alcohol and tobacco especially too close to bedtime
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Go to bed the same time
every night. Have a consistent routine when preparing for bed—brush
teeth, read a book—this tells your mind and body you are ready for bed
-
Make sure your bed/pillow is comfortable
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Don’t go to bed hungry, but don’t eat a large meal too close to bedtime
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Use earplugs and eye masks to block noise and light if needed.
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Turn off your mind when going to sleep—try relaxation techniques and tapes
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If you cannot sleep, get up do something boring and go back to bed.
5. Medical care:
There are many over-the-counter and prescription medications that can
treat chronic insomnia. People who suffer from chronic insomnia can
benefit from a sleep study to determine if they have sleep apnea or
another sleep disorder. A symptom of sleep apnea is being tired during
the day—the same symptom that is the most common symptom of hepatitis
C. Treating sleep apnea can improve everyone’s quality of life
especially those with hepatitis C.
Don’t live your life full of
sleepless nights—practice self-help strategies and get medical help as
needed to live life to the fullest. No one should live a life full of
sleepless nights and days full of being tired. Get tested. Get
treated. Get Cured.
Check Out These Sleep and Insomnia
Fact Sheets
http://hcvadvocate.org/news/newsLetter/2015/advocate0215_mid.html#3Labels: insomnia, sleep, The Five