Lack of sleep is an increasing problem in America, as many health issues are linked to lack of sleep, and in many cases, people are unaware of how much sleep they should be getting, but there are ways to improve sleep, including diets, sleep aids, and adjustments one can make to their bedtime activities. A third of Americans don’t get enough sleep. This is a serious problem because of health risks tied to it, but there are solutions to help Americans get more sleep. As mentioned earlier, lack of sleep is a serious problem. There are health issues tied to it such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, depression, mental illness, anxiety, tiredness and A.D.D.(Attention Deficit Disorder). Some of these can be fatal or greatly decrease one’s quality of life. It is important to a healthy lifestyle to get the appropriate amount of sleep. Many adults may feel like they don’t get enough sleep, but aren’t sure how to get more sleep. A good place to start is managing one’s time so he can wake up and go to bed at the same times, and get the appropriate hours of sleep. Adults from ages eighteen to sixty require seven to eight hours of sleep, while teens should get nine or more hours of sleep according to Nationwide Children’s Hospital. This is important to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and how one can get …show more content…
Tryptophan, which the body converts into serotonin and melatonin, has been shown to induce sleep according to Dr. Donald Hensrud, medical director of the Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program and specialist in nutrition and preventive medicine. Foods that contain high amounts of tryptophan include egg whites, soybeans, low-fat cheese, chicken, turkey, and seeds, such as pumpkin or sesame. Also, spicy foods and caffeine before bedtime are associated with impaired sleep according to a small study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep