Dear Dr. Roach: I am a man in overall good health. I am in my early 80s. I see an increasing number of health articles emphasizing the importance of getting a good six to eight hours of sleep per night. My question: Is this continuous, nonstop sleep for the six to eight hours, or is it with interruptions? I find it necessary to urinate several times a night. If I have to get up after three hours, then I get another three hours of sleep, does this constitute three or six hours of sleep? What effect does this have on the role of sleep in maintaining healthy brain function? 听
On another note, if sleep interruptions do restrict the brain-maintenance functions of sleep, what are your thoughts on using disposable catheters during the sleeping hours? Such use would, if nothing else, allow a lot of people to get a better night鈥檚 rest.
Anon.
Although large trials do show that people who get seven or eight hours of sleep at night, on average, have better health including less depression and fewer heart attacks than those who get less (or much more, curiously enough) 鈥� for any given individual, it isn鈥檛 always clear what the optimum amount is. Some people do very well on six hours; some people really don鈥檛 feel well unless they have eight or nine. Further, sleep needs change over a lifetime, with adolescents generally sleeping more and older adults sleeping less. I have found that people worrying about not sleeping enough, paradoxically, makes it harder for them to sleep!
As far as interrupted sleep goes, it is not generally a problem, as long as you have no trouble getting right back to sleep. Some sleep experts have recommended segmented sleep, not a single continuous sleep. Again, I see this as more individual-specific and not appropriate for a blanket recommendation.
Disposable catheters, however, I cannot recommend. Although some people need urinary catheters for a wide variety of medical conditions, they do greatly increase the risk of infection. 听
My advice is to try to ensure a good night鈥檚 sleep by staying away from bright lights (including televisions, computers, tablets and phones) for at least an hour or two before bed; keep your sleeping area cool; avoid caffeine in the late afternoon or evening; and don鈥檛 worry if you sleep six or seven hours, as long as you feel well during the day. 听
Dear Dr. Roach: I saw your recent column on strontium, and it raised a question for me. My raw water contains strontium in large amounts, 15,500 ug/L. Do I need to be worried about consuming this water?
D.R.
There are two reasons to be concerned about strontium in the environment. The first is that there is a radioactive isotope of strontium, strontium-90, which is manmade and exists in and around hazardous waste sites and gets into the water as dust (still leftover from atomic bomb testing and nuclear reactors). Levels of radioactive strontium are very low in most areas of the United States, but I would find out what radioactivity level the strontium in your area is. It should be in the same analysis where you found out about the level in your drinking water.
I am surprised at the level you report, since the Environmental Protection Agency recommends no more than 4,000 micrograms per litre. Yours is nearly four times that. High levels of strontium can cause a bone disease, osteomalacia. You should check with public-health officials and, if confirmed, I would consider supplemental calcium and vitamin D, which minimize the deleterious effects of strontium. 听
Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to [email protected].
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