You counsel your patients about their diet and exercise, but what about their sleep? Are they getting enough? And do they sleep well enough for a long enough period of time?
If they’re having problems, they’re not alone. About 84 million Americans, or 1 in 3 adults, do not regularly get the recommended amount of sleep they need to protect their health, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And an estimated 50-70 million Americans have chronic sleep disorders.
Yet sleep is vital to good health and well-being. Getting inadequate sleep over time can raise the risk of long-term health problems. It can also affect how well you think, react, work, learn, and get along with others.
Short sleep duration may even be a causal risk for a short lifespan, according to a recent study published in Translational Psychiatry.
Wake up to opportunity
More than 55% of respondents in the Casper-Gallup State of Sleep in America 2022 Report said getting a good night’s sleep was a “major priority” on an average weekday, outranking spending time with family and friends (45%) or eating healthy (40%).
Our growing alarm over our lack of slumber means a growing opportunity for you to offer sleep solutions to your patients.
Count these money-making ideas instead of sheep:
Ask questions
Find out how your patients are resting. Many medications can interfere with sleep, so be sure to point out possible side effects. Include spouses or partners in the conversation—many people don’t realize they may have sleep apnea until their partner notices their snoring patterns.
Recommend good sleep habits
Offer ideas to improve sleep, such as creating a good environment and following regular bedtime rituals. The 10-3-2-1-0 Sleep Rule is an easy way to remember to prioritize sleep:
- 10: the number of hours before bed to stop drinking caffeine
- 3: the number of hours before bed to limit food and alcohol
- 2: the number of hours before bed to stop working
- 1: the number of hours before bed to avoid screen time
- 0: the number of times you should hit the snooze button
Set up a sleep section
Create a simple display that features products to promote sleep, like melatonin, eye masks, earplugs, humidifiers, white noise machines, calming essential oils, caffeine-free tea, or CBD remedies.
By taking steps to get better sleep, you and your patients will rest easy.
A Member-Owned Company Serving Independent Pharmacies
PBA Health is dedicated to helping independent pharmacies reach their full potential on the buy-side of their business. Founded and run by pharmacists, PBA Health serves independent pharmacies with group purchasing services, wholesaler contract negotiations, proprietary purchasing tools, and more.
An HDA member, PBA Health operates its own NABP-accredited warehouse with more than 6,000 SKUs, including brands, generics, narcotics CII-CV, cold-storage products, and over-the-counter (OTC) products — offering the lowest prices in the secondary market.
