Sleep and Pavlov’s Dogs
- Half of Americans say they feel sleepy during the day.
- 10-30% of adults struggle with insomnia and 75% of patients with depression suffer from insomnia.
- Of the 15 leading causes of death in the US, seven have been linked to insufficient sleep.
Sleep troubles are a big deal and getting good sleep is more important than many of us realize, both for day-to-day functioning and overall health. Many people already know about and have tried typical sleep hygiene: don’t drink coffee late in the day, exercise daily, turn off screens an hour or two before bed, etc. These are an important piece of the puzzle, but one of the best things you can do to get your Zs is to learn to use your bed for only sleep and sex.
So what does this have to do with Pavlov’s dogs?
Pavlov set up an experiment where he conditioned dogs to salivate at the sound of a bell. He noticed that his dogs salivated when they were given food. So, Pavlov started to ring a bell every time he fed them. The dogs came to associate the bell with food and soon they were conditioned to salivate when they heard the bell even if there was no food.
In your own personal sleep experiment, there will be no bells or salivating, but the concept stands. You can condition your brain that bed = sleep. When your head hits the pillow, your body automatically goes into falling asleep mode. (Easier said than done, I know). To do this you have to start using your bed only for sleep. Frequently, beds are a place to watch TV, scroll on Facebook, toss and turn and ruminate about the day. They can even become a stressful place if you suffer from insomnia. Reconditioning your body to automatically associate your bed with sleep can help you sleep more solidly. So turn off the TV, put away the phone, only climb into bed when you are sleepy, and learn techniques that will help you quit tossing and turning in bed at night.
Your daytime self will thank you.
Dena DePiazza is a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach and is certified as a Certified Pain Management Coach. She is your personal advocate for living an energized and passionate life. She works with clients to help them create healthy lives in a way that is flexible, fun, and free of denial and unsustainable discipline. By working together, you can discover lifestyle choices that best support you. Dena helps you learn to make gradual, lifelong changes that will enable you to reach your current and future health goals.
with a Bachelor’s Degree in Nutritional Sciences. She is a Certified Personal Trainer and Certified Nutrition Coach through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).
Nadia enjoys providing the guidance and support people need to achieve good health and considers herself their biggest cheerleader when they decide to make their health a priority. As a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Nadia works with clients one on one to help them optimize their health through holistic health practices. She helps reduce the symptoms of chronic illness through nutrition and lifestyle practices, but is not limited to helping anyone who wants to learn how to make better choices. She teaches clients basic kitchen skills, how to read labels and will even do grocery tours. As a personal trainer, Nadia works with clients of all levels, ages and in various settings. She has taught group fitness classes and worked with clients one on one. She emphasizes the importance of staying injury free and building strength to move about their day without pain.
Karissa originally attended Westmont College in beautiful Santa Barbara, and began her B.S. in Psychology, then transferred to Montreat College, in the Appalachian hills of North Carolina, graduating Cum Laude with a B.S. in Music Therapy, and a double minor in Psychology and Music Business.
