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On Sunday, November 1st, at 2 am, clocks will be turned one hour back for Daylight Savings Time, so when the clock reads 10 am on Sunday morning, your brain and body will insist that it is really 11 am.

"Gaining' an hour in the fall is much easier for our bodies than 'losing' an hour in the spring," says Dr. Praveen Rudraraju, medical director of the Center for Sleep Medicine at Northern Westchester Hospital. "For many, sleep has become more elusive in these uncertain times.

"Sleep specialists are seeing an unprecedented numbers of patients suffering from insomnia and other sleep disturbances due to the pandemic, which presents a unique set of multiple stressors," he adds. "There's no quick fix for the anxiety that's keeping people awake as they worry about their jobs, income, the health and safety of loved ones, social isolation and an uncertain future. There is actually a hormonal basis for this kind of insomnia. Anxiety triggers the production of stimulating chemicals in the body that keep people awake.

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To get the most out of sleep, Dr. Rudraraju says that both the quality and quantity are important. Most adults need seven to eight hours of sleep in order to feel refreshed and alert. Sleeping less than five hours a night can raise the risk of cardiovascular disease by 40 percent, while chronic insomnia quadruples the risk of stroke. Numerous studies have linked poor-quality sleep to weight gain. Ghrelin, a hormone linked to hunger, increases when people sleep poorly.

Dr. Rudraraju advises people to practice good sleep hygiene:

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If you often wake up groggy, have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, feel sleepy all day long or snore, you may need a sleep study to assess the possibility of a sleep disorder. An at-home sleep study can find out if you do have a sleep issue, but an in-hospital sleep study can diagnose whether it is caused by an underlying medical condition.

One of the most common disorders is sleep apnea, typically characterized by loud snoring and feelings of constant tiredness. The condition interrupts a person's breathing hundreds of

times a night, depriving the brain and heart of oxygen. Untreated sleep apnea increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, obesity, diabetes and mental illness. It also puts people at increased risk of heart failure, arrhythmias or irregular heartbeats, and increases the risk of driving accidents.

For more information or to make an appointment for a sleep center study, visit nwh.northwell.edu/sleep-center or call 914-666-1114.

About Northern Westchester Hospital

Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH), a member of Northwell Health, provides quality, patient-centered care that is close to home through a unique combination of medical expertise, leading-edge technology, and a commitment to humanity. Over 650 highly-skilled physicians, state-of-the-art technology and professional staff of caregivers are all in place to ensure that you and your family receive treatment in a caring, respectful and nurturing environment. NWH has established extensive internal quality measurements that surpass the standards defined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Hospital Quality Alliance (HQA) National Hospital Quality Measures. Our high-quality standards help to ensure that the treatment you receive at NWH is among the best in the nation. For more information, please visit http://www.nwhc.net and connect with us on Facebook.

About Northwell Health

Northwell Health is New York State's largest health care provider and private employer, with 23 hospitals, nearly 800 outpatient facilities and more than 14,200 affiliated physicians. We care for over two million people annually in the New York metro area and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from our communities. Our 72,000 employees 17,000-plus nurses and 4,500 employed doctors, including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners are working to change health care for the better. We're making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

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