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Sleep on it: Physical Therapy for Improved Well Being

Sleep experts tell us that sleep problems become more common as we get older. Nearly half of all adults over 60 suffer from insomnia and it’s a common problem for postmenopausal women. Research also indicates that people who don’t sleep well tend to snack more, which causes them to gain weight, which interferes with their sleep.  Not good.
Sleep deprivation can be detrimental to your mental and physical health. Stop medicating yourself with food, drink and pills. Simply start exercising regularly, several times a week to improve your quality of sleep.
A Northwestern University School of Medicine study, found that participants sleep improved markedly for those who exercised regularly compared to those who participated in activities such as cooking class, art and other social activities without physical therapy.  The non-exercise group, showed no improvement in sleep quality, daytime sleepiness or depression.
Sleep is an essential part of health and as important as good nutrition. By improving a person’s sleep, you can improve their physical and mental health. If a person isn’t sleeping well, they are more likely to be in poor health with problems managing their hypertension or diabetes — Northwestern’s Sleep Disorders Center.
In addition to getting regular physical therapy, try these tips for older adults who may be having trouble getting enough sleep at night:
  • Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. It helps your body establish a sleep-wake cycle and will help you fall asleep more easily.
  • Avoid caffeine at least six hours before sleep time so your body has time to eliminate its stimulant effects.
  • Avoid alcohol before bedtime. (You may think it’s a sedative, but it actually disrupts sleep.)
  • Get out in the bright light during the day. Then at night, dim the lights and make sure your bedroom is cool, dark, quiet and comfortable.
  • Exercise in the morning, go to sleep earlier. Being well-rested not only improves performance, but it will also reduce inflammation and joint pain and speed up healing times when you’re injured (conversely, lack of sleep prolongs healing).
It only takes a week or two of poor sleep for harmful physical side effects to occur. If you are experiencing any physical pain at all, contact your physical therapist and schedule a free exploratory examination to assess your condition.
Plenty of rest is the best cure for what ails us. A good night’s sleep refreshes and energizes us. Make physical therapy a priority and you’ll enjoy a full night’s rest.
Moriarty Physical Therapy is a premier physical therapy center located in New York’s Hudson Valley. To find out more about physical therapy or to book your first appointment with a physical therapist, contact Moriarty Physical Therapy at (845) 454-4137.

Schedule a FREE 15-minute Exploration Visit

Come visit one of our physical therapy clinics in New York or North Carolina and one of our Doctors of Physical Therapy will do a 15-minute consultation to see if physical therapy is right for you. In the consultation, we’ll help determine the source of pain and movement restrictions to see if you would benefit from physical therapy or might need the assistance of another healthcare professional. If so, we’ll make a referral and help speed up achieving your health goal.

You have nothing to lose; the screening is free! And if physical therapy could help you, we can perform the examination right then–even without a prescription–with Direct Access (covered by insurance).

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