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Healthy Meetings: Sweet Dreams

Author: Julie Keller
May 2008

Columns

Ask any sleepy road warrior who has just stepped off a red-eye flight to make a morning meeting: business travel can be exhausting.
“By their very nature, most business travelers work long hours, are under a lot of stress, are exposed to frequent fluctuations in weather and physical environments, and hold erratic schedules that span multiple time zones,” says Steven Tan, M.D., a specialist in integrative medicine and stress medicine at the California Health & Longevity Institute in Westlake Village, Calif. “This sets up a series of challenging hurdles to getting restful sleep.”

While lack of sleep is a common occurrence for avid travelers, sleep issues can have significant impacts on health and productivity. According to Rubin Naiman, Ph.D., director of sleep programs at Miraval Resort in Tucson, Ariz.,  sleep deprivation has been associated with an increased risk for infections, heart disease, obesity, diabetes and cancer. Chronic sleep loss is also the single strongest predictive factor for depression. Tan adds that lack of sleep has also been associated with higher stress hormones that have been shown to impact cardiovascular health, blood sugars, and even pain levels and headaches. “Lack of sleep is also a common reason for fatigue as well as concentration difficulties,” he says.

Since hosting productive meetings contributes significantly to financial success, several resorts and spas around the country are taking note of this issue and are offering a number of treatments, solutions and in-room amenities meant to help clients achieve a good night’s sleep. When planning your next event, consider selecting a site that offers such options, or provide your attendees with some tools to help them sleep easier.

On-Site Sleep Programs
Miraval, which can host groups of up to 300, offers a sleep program that provides a range of services featuring a personalized, professional evaluation and treatment suggestions that balance the use of technology with a mindful and spiritual approach. Highlights include Sleep Assessment & Recommendations, a consultation designed to address a broad range of sleep concerns such as insomnia, unrefreshing sleep, the use of sleeping pills and unexplained daytime sleepiness. Based on an integrative sleep health evaluation, it offers practical, effective and personalized recommendations and remedies to address identified issues. Other options include Dream Assessment & Interpretation and a 90-minute, weekly presentation on sleep and dreams by Dr. Naiman. All of these options can make an interesting—and life-changing—addition to your next meeting.

The California Health & Longevity Institute, which is located on the grounds of the Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village, also offers several options designed to promote a good night’s sleep. Services include acupuncture, clinical hypnotherapy, meditation, guided imagery and a clinical sleep study. Intended for those who have trouble sleeping at night, which can result in daytime drowsiness, lack of concentration, moodiness and morning headaches, the physicians offer sleep studies monitored in the comfort of a Four Seasons guest room.

Additionally, the Four Seasons, which can accommodate groups of up to 250, has collaborated with the institute to offer a Sleep Well program. The program, which debuted in April, incorporates in-room amenities, a bedtime dining menu recommended by a registered dietician and a special in-room spa treatment called Sleep Well. The session is intended to relax the guest prior to retiring for the evening. Shelby Taylor Cuban, director of public relations for the hotel, says that certain snooze-inducing treatments in The Spa are also recommended, including Reiki (a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation), the Pure Lavender Body Treatment and the Aromatherapy Immersion Wrap.

These types of programs can make a true impact on the productivity and effectiveness of your next event. “It’s a simple, effective and convenient way for busy and stressed business travelers to achieve restorative sleep,” Tan says. “Sleep therapy can help business travelers achieve better mental sharpness, concentration and focus. It helps them handle stressful situations better and preserve peak work performance. But, more importantly, it keeps them healthy.”

Sound Sleeping Suggestions
If you don’t have time to partake in spa sleep therapy or make it part of your meeting agenda, there are a number of ways to ensure that you and your meeting-goers get a good night’s sleep while on the road. The experts at the California Health & Longevity Institute offer the
following suggestions:

  • Create a sleep environment that is dark, quiet, comfortable and cool. Make sure your mattress and pillows are comfortable and supportive.
  • Try to eat at least two hours before bedtime. If you can’t eat early, a bedtime snack that is high in carbohydrates stimulates serotonin, a hormone that aids sleep.
  • Avoid caffeine after 2 p.m. Also, try to avoid spicy foods, alcohol and eating protein for at least two hours before bedtime.
  • Try not to watch television or use a laptop computer at least 30 minutes before bedtime or in bed.
  • Establish a bedtime routine such as drinking a cup of herbal tea, soaking in a hot bath, leisure reading or listening to soothing music.
  • Do not stress if you feel you aren’t getting enough sleep; don't look at the clock in the middle of the night.
  • Refrain from strenuous exercise two hours prior to bedtime. Try relaxing stretches or yoga.
  • If you lie awake for more than 20 minutes, get up and engage in a relaxing activity such as reading. Return to bed when you feel tired again.  
  • “Sleep is essential to both health and productivity,” Naiman adds. “Shortsightedness is damaging to both our business and personal lives. Don’t plan to catch up on your sleep next quarter—do it now.”

ADDITIONAL SLEEPING SOUND TIPS - Web Exclucive
Rubin Naiman, PhD, director of sleep programs at Miraval Resort, also have a few tips, including:

  • Avoid the “counterfeit” energy of excessive caffeine and sugary foods.
  • Avoid the “counterfeit” sleep produced by alcohol and sleeping pills.
  • Exercise outdoors in the morning when you can, to get the dual sleep benefit of activity and light.
  • Slow down in the evening. You want to hit the brakes before the car is actually in the garage.
  • Minimize exposure to light at night. Use special “z-glasses” if you watch TV or are working at a computer to limit melatonin-suppressive light.
  • Practice letting go of your waking day to drift into natural sleep.