Medicare That Works For You

These two comparative lists paint a clear picture – sleep is an important part of our health and well-being. Research suggests the amount of sleep we get can help decrease our risk for serious health problems. In fact, the American Heart Association recently added sleep to its cardiovascular health checklist. That means sleep is now considered an essential part of ideal heart health, along with other factors like physical activity and diet.

Sleep by the numbers

The amount of sleep we should be getting depends on age. Adults should sleep at least 7 hours per night. Teenagers need a little more, and newborns need a lot more. For a full breakdown of recommended hours of sleep by age, visit: How Much Sleep Do I Need? | CDC

Sleep quality

The numbers are important, but they’re not everything. The saying ‘quality over quantity’ rings true here. If you feel tired even after getting a full night’s rest, repeatedly wake up during the night, or have symptoms of a sleep disorder, such as snoring, your quality of sleep is not good. Be sure to tell your doctor if you experience any of the above.

There are small steps you can take to sleep better for longer. Try to avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bedtime, unplug from electronics, and make sure your bedroom is quiet and dark.

Happy Sleep Awareness Week – now let’s all treat ourselves to a nap.

Consider a Blue Distinction Center (BDC).

As you search for a new hospital, doctor, or other healthcare provider, consider a Blue Distinction Center (BDC).

Blue Cross® Blue Shield® companies recognize select doctors, hospitals and other healthcare facilities as Blue Distinction for their proven history of delivering safe, effective care to their patients. Each Blue Distinction provider has established quality and cost targets, uses analytics to improve their medical practice, and focuses on health care rather than sick care in order to achieve this designation.*

Once you have started your provider search above, you can refine your results on the left side of the screen to look for a Blue Distinction Center. Blue Distinction providers will also have the BDC logo displayed at the bottom of their record.