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Sleep Health: Sleep Soundly

Sleep Soundly Sleep is an important part of health that is often overlooked. One out of three Americans do not get the recommended amount of sleep. Most healthy adults need at least seven hours of sleep each night and school-aged children (6-12 years old) need nine to twelve hours each night. Sleep doesn’t just affect your energy, but it relates to your overall emotional and physical well-being. Not getting enough sleep is associated with an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and clinical depression. There are some steps you can take to improve your overall sleep quality. Establish a routine sleep schedule. Go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning. This window of sleep should be at least 7 hours long and be consistent even on weekends. [...]

Sleep Health: Melatonin

Do you sleep soundly every night? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 35% of U.S. adults do not get enough sleep on a regular basis! If you’ve ever looked for a solution for your sleep struggle, you’ve probably heard about melatonin. It’s a hormone produced naturally in various parts of the body, but primarily in the pineal gland (located near the center of the brain). Melatonin is also a widely available and commonly used dietary supplement that may provide relief from specific sleep disorders. Here’s how melatonin works in the body. When the hypothalamus (in the brain) receives a signal from your retinas (in your eyes) that nighttime is imminent (i.e., darkness in your environment), it signals the pineal gland to release melatonin. Once melatonin enters your blood and cerebrospinal fluid, it travels to distant parts [...]