The Importance of Sleep

The Importance of Sleep

by | Nov 1, 2022 | Uncategorized

The American Heart Association recently revamped its Life’s Simple 7 recommendations by adding sleep to what is now the Essential 8 lifestyles to prevent a heart attack and stroke.” Why? Researchers found that sleep provides important health benefits for a longer life.
The Essential 8
1.Eat a healthy diet. 
2. Increase physical activity.
3. Quit smoking and tobacco use.
4. Manage a healthy weight.
5. Maintain a normal glucose.
6. Maintain normal cholesterol values.
7. Maintain a normal blood pressure.
8. Get 7 to 9 hours (adults) & 8 to 16 hours (children and teens) of sleep each night.

4 Levels of Sleep
Stage 1 NREM (Non-Rapid Eye Movement).  1-5 minutes (Dozing off.)
Stage 2 NREM                                                  10-60 minutes (Brain activity slows.)
Stage 3 NREM                                                  20-40 minutes (Deep sleep).
Stage 4 REM                                                     10-60 minutes (Vivid dreams).

We move through these stages 4 to 6 times each night. During the last deeper stages hormones such as testosterone, estrogen and progesterone are made. Blood pressure and heart rate decrease. Cognitive thinking and creativity are enhanced. Importantly, immunity to eliminate pathogens and abnormal cells is enhanced.

The Danger of Insomnia 

Sleep apnea or “not breathing” occurs as sleep progresses. The airway becomes blocked causing oxygen levels to plummet. The dangerous lower oxygen levels damage organs! The brain senses the problem and releases adrenalin to increase heart rate and blood pressure to awaken the person to resume breathing.

Unless the blockage is resolved the person will have continuous sleep interruptions all night never entering deeper beneficial sleep. In addition to organ damage, thinking, creativity, hormone production, glucose control and immunity will be reduced. Heart attacks, stroke, high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes may result.

If you suffer from insomnia, ask your doctor to find out if you have sleep apnea. Recently, my Sleep Study indicated dangerous, low oxygen levels throughout the night. Surprisingly, (I don’t snore) I was prescribed a CPAP machine to protect my heart. During the study while connected to a CPAP machine, I had the BEST sleep in years!

An excellent book by Matthew Walker is “Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep & Dreams.” You can also visit the Sleep Foundation for more information.

If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Proverbs 3:24

Sources:

–Todd Neale, “AHA Revamps Life’s Simple 7, Adding Sleep to Create ‘Essential 8,” June 9, 2022.  https://www.tctmd.com/news/aha-revamps-lifes-simple-7-adding-sleep-create-essential-8.

–National Heart Lung & Blood Institute, “How Sleep Works, Why Is Sleep Important?” March 24, 2022.

–Eric Suni, “Stages of Sleep,” October 7, 2022, National Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/stages-of-sleep.

–Jay Summer, “What Is REM Sleep & How Much Do You Need?” April 26, 2022. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/stages-of-sleep/rem-sleep.

Author of:  HELPING THE HURTING: NURSING MINISTRY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST (2022)

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ã All rights reserved 2022, Jennie E. Johnson, RN-BC, PhD

It’s Time to Gear Up for the Cold & Flu Season:

It’s Time to Gear Up for the Cold & Flu Season:

by | Oct 4, 2022 | COVID-19 Top Ten

What To Do……………………

As the leaves begin to turn in October, it’s our reminder to get ready for the cold and flu season. Thankfully, the worst of COVID ended with the Omicron variants and blessings of natural herd immunity. Due to concerns over the COVID vaccines, many are opting out of the flu vaccine as well. Whether you decide to get the flu shot or not there are simple things that you can do to decrease your risk this season.

  1. Increase your Vitamin D3. During the summer, being outdoor raises it naturally through skin absorption but once days become shorter those levels plummet. The best way to know how much to take is to get a Vitamin D blood test and speak with your doctor. Experts vary on the correct amount Interestingly, some have called it the Low Vitamin D Season rather than the Cold/Flu season.

  1. Increase your Vitamin C intake through juice or citrus fruits.

  1. Go for a walk each day. Physical activity enhances immunity.

  1. Get a good night’s sleep. The body heals when in deep sleep. People should strive for 7 hours each night. If you don’t sleep well, ask your doctor for a Take Home Sleep Study test. It often identifies the problem.

  1. Keep busy! Volunteer at your local church or school. Teachers need the help. Children suffered from school closures. My neighbor is a kindergarten teacher who had 23 kids last year and NO aide. She spent most of her time teaching them preschool skills that they missed and regulating troublesome behavior.

While it’s certainly great being back with people; be mindful when flu outbreaks occur in your area. Consider avoiding crowds during those times and maintain good hand hygiene.

Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health,
as it goes well with your soul. 3 John 1:2

Author of:  HELPING THE HURTING: NURSING MINISTRY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST (2022)

If you found this blog helpful, please pass it on…

ã All rights reserved 2022, Jennie E. Johnson, RN-BC, PhD

Author of new book: Helping the Hurting: Nursing Ministry in the Body of Christ

Monkeypox: How Dangerous is it?

Monkeypox: How Dangerous is it?

by | Sep 10, 2022 | Uncategorized

The new scourge to hit may be Monkeypox, but how dangerous is it? Recall that a plethora of viruses and bacteria are found throughout the earth; most do not cause disease. Monkeypox belongs in the family of viruses like Cowpox and Smallpox which were certainly much more deadly! 

Primarily it’s been infecting people in Nigeria and the Congo. Due to international travel, an outbreak occurred within a gay community of homosexual men in England and is now spreading to other countries. In June 1, 2022 there were minimal cases in the US. Currently there are 21,000 in the US with 0 deaths and 56,600 cases globally. 

It’s spread by direct contact with the lesions of an infected person, droplets exhaled or contact from infected drainage on materials such as linens.

COVID was much more contagious as the virus droplets were much smaller, airborne and could linger in the air for hours. Monkeypox droplets are heavier and fall to the floor. Close contact is needed to acquire the disease.

Common symptoms are chills (from fever), headache, back and joint pain, weakness, sore throat, other respiratory symptoms, itching and pain from the pox lesions.

The incubation period is 6 to 13 days from exposure. The rash appears 1 to 5 days after the first symptoms. The rash begins as a raised reddened area much like a pimple. Over time it opens…drains, forms a scab and falls off.

The CDC recommends isolation from other people and pets (can also spread the disease) “from the time symptoms start until the rash has fully healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed.” This may take between 2 and 4 weeks.

Children and unborn babies are at the greatest risk as they haven’t built immunity strong enough to fight it. However, most cases are currently in gay men.

In 1980 the World Health Organization stated that the deadly Smallpox disease had been irradicated. While the Smallpox vaccination program ended in the  US in 1971, it does provide some protection for those who were vaccinated. It is currently the vaccine being used to treat highly at-risk populations where Monkeypox is spreading.

The good news is that Monkeypox is a much milder disease than Smallpox, but it is spreading. Governments all over the world have stockpiled the Smallpox vaccine in case of a bioterrorism event. Time will tell if it will be utilized for Monkeypox.

A great place to go for current information that you can trust is from Dr. John Campbell at https://www.youtube.com/c/Campbellteaching/videos. The CDC has good information as well.

When the sun was setting, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying His hands on each one, He healed them. Luke 4:40

Source:

–CDC, Monkeypox, https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/about/faq.html#Basics

–CDC,  2022 Monkeypox Outbreak and Cases,  https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/response/2022/index.html

–Dr. John Campbell, videos https://www.youtube.com/c/Campbellteaching/videos

–CDC Smallpox https://www.cdc.gov/smallpox/

–C. Henry Kempe, “The End of Routine Smallpox Vaccination in the United States” (1972), https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article-abstract/49/4/489/47117/THE-END-OF-ROUTINE-SMALLPOX-VACCINATION-IN-THE?redirectedFrom=fulltext

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ã All rights reserved 2022, Jennie E. Johnson, RN-BC, PhD

Author of new book: Helping the Hurting: Nursing Ministry in the Body of Christ

Is the Pandemic Finally Over?

Is the Pandemic Finally Over?

by | Aug 7, 2022 | COVID-19 Top Ten

I apologize for not posting a July blog, but our family finally became ill with Covid (BA5 variant). It’s such a blessing that this variant is passing over all of us. Whether you’re vaccinated or not…you’ll probably get this milder COVID too. However, it’s a tremendous gift from God that is finally ending this 100-year pandemic by leaving powerful natural immunity in its wake.

I was asked recently “Will this ever end? We’ll just keep seeing one variant come after another.” It helps to understand the trajectory of corona viruses to understand why I’m so thankful.

First, there are many different types of viruses as there are bacteria. The common cold is a corona virus. Experts disagree whether the corona virus that caused COVID was altered in a lab or came from the natural world.

Once here it began to mutate or change. So far there have been 4 major changes: Wuhan—then Alpha—then Delta—then Omicron with 5 alterations. The Omicron BA5 is the most recent. Each change became less virulent yet more infective.

The Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines were designed to slow down virus replication from the first strain. They are less effective with the Omicron strains which explains why so many people are getting it despite being vaccinated.

You can tell which type of strain you received by a lab test or the date when you were infected. Currently, the CDC reports that 84% of COVID in the US is from the Omicron BA5 variant.

We were sick for 2 weeks with an overall unpleasant symptomology. My brother and I had a lingering cough while my husband had GI upset symptoms. The whole thing was annoying but certainly not as bad as it would have been with those initial outbreaks.

So be hopeful… Jesus has His healing hand upon us. It looks to me like so many of us are now getting it that we’ve reached herd immunity and life is returning to normal.

O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. Psalm 30:2

In the next blog I’ll tackle the Monkey Pox virus.

Source: –“Monitoring Variant Proportions,” CDC, https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions.

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ã All rights reserved 2022, Jennie E. Johnson, RN-BC, PhD

Author of new book: Helping the Hurting: Nursing Ministry in the Body of Christ

The Battle of the Bulge

The Battle of the Bulge

by | Jun 4, 2022 | Uncategorized

Recall that studies completed all over the world have shown that 80% of all heart attacks and strokes could be prevented if people ate a healthier diet, managed a healthier weight, increased physical activity, quit smoking, controlled blood pressure, glucose and LDL (bad) cholesterol. This month I will write about successful weight management.

National statistics indicate that 73.6% of Americans are overweight while 41.9% of those are considered obese. Each year those numbers have been increasing to dangerous levels. Part of the problem is that restaurant portion sizes have increased dramatically along with waistlines. It’s estimated that one entrée is enough food for 2 or 3 people.

Many of us struggle with weight loss. We lose a few pounds for a short amount of time only to regain them. So, what works? Psychologist Brian Wansink PhD in his excellent book, Mindless Eating describes the simple strategies that are the most helpful. His famous quote is, “The best diet is the one that you don’t know you’re on.” I couldn’t agree more. I tell my patients, “Diet is a four-letter word!” Simple lifestyle changes do make a huge difference. The following top 10 tips are a combination taken from Dr. Wansink’s book and mine (Wake Up Call 911).

#10  Replace high caloric drinks with sparkling water and avoid artificial sweeteners.

#9    Remember that restaurant entrees are generally enough food to feed 2 to 3 people.

#8    When you’re hungry eat a palm size of nuts to stabilize your blood sugar.

#7    Use a smaller plate which will make you feel fuller and more satisfied to eat less.

#6    Fill your plate with more fruits and vegetables.

#5    Add protein to every meal.

#4    Eat regular smaller meals.

#3    Keep junk food out of sight and better still out of the house!

#2    Don’t get discouraged if you have a bad day. Eat better the next.

And the #1 most important thing to remember when managing a healthy weight is…

Food is a gift from God. It’s meant to be enjoyed. Don’t deny yourself but eat very small amounts of high caloric sweets occasionally not daily. Life is filled with challenges. We all have them. Just take it one day at a time and pray for patience.

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

In the next blog I’ll tackle exercise.

Sources:

“Simple 7”, American Heart Association, https://www.heart.org/en/professional/workplace-health/lifes-simple-7.

Johnson, Wake Up Call 911: It’s Time to Reduce your Risk for a Heart Attack and Stroke (2015).

–Arthur O’Connor, Study Details 30-Year Increase in Calorie Consumption (2004),  https://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/06/us/study-details-30-year-increase-in-calorie-consumption.html.

–Brian Wansink, Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Thank We Think (2007).

–Overweight and Obesity Facts, CDC, https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/obesity-overweight.htm.

If you found this blog helpful, please pass it on…

ã All rights reserved 2022, Jennie E. Johnson, RN-BC, PhD

Author of new book: Helping the Hurting: Nursing Ministry in the Body of Christ