March was National Sleep Awareness Month, and two local health departments recently wrapped up a Sleep Health Initiative designed to boost community well-being.
The Davis County Health Department and the Southwest Public Health Department, even though the month of March is now over, are working to educate the community to understand that sleep is a biological necessity, equally as important as diet and exercise, and that sleep is critical for the body and mind to function.
“The importance of sleep cannot be overstated,” says Dr. David Blodgett, Director and Health Officer for the Southwest Utah Public Health Department. “The quantity and quality of our sleep impacts almost every component of health, including mental health. About a third of the population probably has some sort of a sleep deficiency and we haven’t focused on sleep as a major determinant of health in our population, which is what public health is all about. It’s time for us to change that.”
Sleep is the foundation upon which all other healthy choices count, and a core component of the information being shared by the two health departments is the well-studied practices and principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), which anyone can implement on their own through:
- Sleep Hygiene: Adopting good sleeping habits and creating an optimal sleep environment (dark, cool, and quiet), focusing on a consistent sleep schedule, creating a relaxing 30-60 minute wind-down routine, and avoiding sleep disruptors in the late afternoon like caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol.
- Thought Reframing: Learning to identify and replace negative thoughts and worries about sleep with more accurate and positive thoughts to reduce stress and anxiety at bedtime.
Most healthy adults typically need 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Infants, young children, and teenagers should get more sleep to support their growth and development. The two health departments want people to prioritize sleep and be intentional about their sleep habits, as well as make a conscious effort to prioritize their sleep in order to achieve better health and well-being.
“We brought the two health departments together because we’ve seen a need to change the way we communicate with the public,” says Brian Hatch, Director of the Davis County Health Department. “We wanted, and still are, creating messaging that will empower our communities to be intentional about their health habits. Sleep is a great topic to start with because it is one of the most powerful catalysts for strengthening a person’s physical health, mental function, and emotional resilience.”
For more information and resources about sleep, you can follow both the Davis County Health Department and Southwest Utah Public Health Department on Facebook and Instagram.
