Improving Your Sleep: Guide to a Good Night's Rest

  • Harvard Health Online Course
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Getting restorative sleep on a regular basis provides countless benefits—physical, mental, and emotional. Discover in this course not only the secrets to good sleep hygiene, but how to avoid sleep disorders and sleep deprivation.

  • Online; Self-Paced

$29.95

Certificate

Two Weeks, 2-6 Hours/Week

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Overview

In our efforts to lead a healthy life, we tend to focus more on diet, exercise, and stress management than on sleep. If you’re among those not getting enough slumber, you're not alone. Today, about 35% of Americans sleep less than the recommended seven hours per night, according to the CDC. Things were vastly different in generations past; in 1910, Americans slept around nine hours per night. 

The five sections in "Improving Your Sleep" will give you a better understanding of sleep hygiene and sleep mechanics as well as sleep disorders and deprivation. You'll learn what's at stake with sleeplessness—including medical conditions that can arise when you skimp on slumber.   

Most important, you'll find a host of effective strategies for attaining better sleep habits—strategies that involve diet, lifestyle, timing, and more. Plus, learn about common deterrents to a good night's sleep, from caffeine and late-night exercise to stress and pregnancy.

Learning Objectives

  • Causes of Sleep Deprivation
  • Sleep Mechanics and Sleep Deprivation
  • How to Get Sound Sleep
  • Summary: Sweet Dreams

Syllabus

About This Course
Sleep Needs and Statistics
Quiz

Introduction: Dr. Mallika Marshall
Sleep Stages Explained
Sleep Deprivation
Quiz

Medical Conditions That Affect Sleep
Medications That Affect Sleep
Sleep Disorders
Quiz

Sleeping Well: Steps to Take
Sleep Hygiene
Lifestyle Modification Strategies
Sleep Timing Issues
Prescription Meds for Sleep
OTC Sleep Aids
Quiz

Parting Advice

Program Topics