Did you know there is a 17 percent increase in traffic deaths on Mondays following the switch between Standard Time and Daylight Saving Time in March?

Losing an hour of sleep here and there may not seem like a big deal, but to your brain it has real consequences. Why do we sleep so little? Perhaps it’s binging on Netflix shows or scrolling endlessly on Facebook and Instagram. Or maybe it’s the lack of sleep that comes with having young children.

Sleep deprivation has physical and mental consequences that can lead to injury and death. Getting fewer than seven hours of sleep can lead to:

• Memory problems

• Poor judgment

• Trouble learning new things

• Slow response time

• More risk-taking

• Trouble paying attention

Lack of sleep can even cause heart problems that can shorten one’s lifespan. Improving your sleep quality Getting a good seven hours of quality sleep a night helps our brains think clearly so we can assess risks and make good decisions. Here are some steps you can take to add a few more ZZZs to your night:

• Create a routine in which you wake up and go to bed at the same time every night.
  Consistency teaches your body to get ready for sleep, reducing the times you toss and turn in bed waiting to fall asleep.

• Make your bedroom a good place for sleep by keeping it quiet, cool and dark.
  If you have a television set in there, don’t turn it on or simply move it to another room. Once you’re in bed, your mind should be focused on sleep, so set your phone on “do not disturb” mode.

• Monitor what you put into your body.
  Avoid caffeine after lunch, as well as heavy exercise and alcohol within six hours of bedtime. If you’re hungry, keep your snacks light and avoid using sleeping pills.

• Use a sleep tracker to keep tabs on your sleep quality each night.
  Most smartwatches and smartphones offer this capability and most sleep quality apps are free.

Sleep apnea facts

Sleep apnea is a disorder that chiefly affects men and women over the age of 40. People with this disorder can stop breathing 30 times or more over the course of an hour, from 10 seconds to one minute at a time.

Each time someone stops breathing during the night, his or her blood pressure rises and deprives the blood of oxygen. This can cause serious damage and shorten life if left untreated.

Most people who have sleep apnea are not aware of it. Some signs of sleep apnea include loud snoring, feeling sleepy throughout the day and having trouble concentrating.

• Some risk factors that can lead to sleep apnea include:

• Being overweight

• Having a receding chin, thick neck, narrow windpipe, enlarged tonsils or excess tissue in the throat

• Alcohol consumption

You can try some of these self-care strategies to avoid sleep apnea:

• Avoid alcohol and don’t take sleeping pills or sedatives

• Lose weight

• Try to sleep on your side and avoid sleeping on your back

Consult with your physician if you feel you may have sleep apnea. Together, you may decide to try such treatment options as a CPAP machine, which opens airways by pushing air through them, or a dental appliance that depresses the tongue. In some cases, surgery on the nose and throat may be performed to remove obstructions.