by Lucie Roy
Fourty per cent of Canadians suffer from some type of sleep disorder, and 50% of seniors experience poor sleep. Sleep deprivation has the same effect as being intoxicated. Stress, anxiety and depression most often are usually the causes of insomnia.
These were a few of the lessons learned at the Lunch & Learn Workshop held Friday, Feb. 7, at the Morinville Community Cultural Centre.
The speaker for the event was Stephanie Karkutly, a licensed practical nurse with St. Albert and Sturgeon Primary Care Network. Karkutly does a majority of the health education classes alongside other colleagues.
The luncheon session covered why sleep is important, World Sleep Day on Mar. 13, 2020, myths and facts on sleep, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for insomnia, effective sleep hygiene, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and other sleep-related topics.
Karkutly told attendees that if it takes less than 5 minutes to fall asleep, it could indicate that you are sleep deprived. It is normal to fall asleep between 20-30 minutes. If you lie in bed for half an hour before falling asleep, it is still considered pretty normal. For room temperature settings, it is ideal for sleep from 12 to 22 Celcius.
While it is normal to have one or two nights a week of poor sleep, Karkutly said it is a problem if it is prolonged.
The roles and functions of sleep were also covered, as well as how many hours are required per day. for those aged 18 to 65, and those 65 and older, seven to eight hours of sleep are required. Children aged 7 to 12 need 10 or 11 hours of sleep per day.
The two-hour session included handouts and a list of resources, which included the mention of some apps to help you sleep. These included Sleepio, Pzizz, Headspace, Calm, Noisli, Relax & Sleep Well, Slumber and Sleep Cycle.
