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How Does Sleep Deprivation Affect The Body?

Is something, or are some things keeping you up? Maybe you’ve had a lot of coffee than you normally do, or maybe you are having insomnia for some reason. If you are not getting the recommended hours of sleep a day, you won’t just feel tired, cranky, and moody the next day. Sleep deprivation has other effects too.

 

Sleep is an important part of everyday life. It is just as important as eating. The body won’t last for too long if left without sleep. In other words, it is crucial. But it isn’t just the hours of sleep that you get that should be paid attention to. It’s also the quality of it. Other than making the brain hazy, sleep deprivation can adversely affect other parts of the body as well.

 

The brain is a part of a bigger system called the Central Nervous System. Brain cells travel and function within it. A deprivation in sleep can cause fatigue in the brain.

During sleep, pathways form between nerve cells (neurons) in your brain that help you remember new information you’ve learned. Sleep deprivation leaves your brain exhausted, so it can’t perform its duties as well.

You may also find it more difficult to concentrate or learn new things. The signals your body send may also be delayed, decreasing your coordination and increasing your risk for accidents.

Sleep deprivation also negatively affects your mental abilities and emotional state. You may feel more impatient or prone to mood swings. It can also compromise decision-making processes and creativity.

(Via:https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep-deprivation/effects-on-body#4)

 

Your immune system functions to protect the body from foreign invaders, especially pathogenic ones. It also works to fight such intruders.

While you sleep, your immune system produces protective, infection-fighting substances like cytokines. It uses these substances to combat foreign invaders such as bacteria and viruses.

Cytokines also help you sleep, giving your immune system more energy to defend your body against illness.

Sleep deprivation prevents your immune system from building up its forces. If you don’t get enough sleep, your body may not be able to fend off invaders, and it may also take you longer to recover from illness.

(Via:https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep-deprivation/effects-on-body#4)

 

Sleep deprivation also negatively affects the respiratory system.

The relationship between sleep and the respiratory system goes both ways. A nighttime breathing disorder called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can interrupt your sleep and lower the quality.

As you wake up throughout the night, this can cause sleep deprivation, which leaves you more vulnerable to respiratory infections like the common cold and flu. Sleep deprivation can also make existing respiratory diseases worse, such as chronic lung illness.

(Via:https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep-deprivation/effects-on-body#4)

 

Probably the most common thing we heard about sleep deprivation other than it having an adverse effect on the brain, is that it can cause overweight and obesity.

Along with eating too much and not exercising, sleep deprivation is another risk factor for becoming overweight and obese. Sleep affects the levels of two hormones, leptin and ghrelin, which control feelings of hunger and fullness.

Leptin tells your brain that you’ve had enough to eat. Without enough sleep, your brain reduces leptin and raises ghrelin, which is an appetite stimulant. The flux of these hormones could explain nighttime snacking or why someone may overeat later in the night.

Sleep deprivation also prompts your body to release higher levels of insulin after you eat. Insulin controls your blood sugar level. Higher insulin levels promote fat storage and increase your risk for type 2 diabetes.

(Via:https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep-deprivation/effects-on-body#4)

 

Sleep affects your blood’s sugar levels, pressure, and the cardiovascular system’s inflammation levels.

Sleep affects processes that keep your heart and blood vessels healthy, including your blood sugar, blood pressure, and inflammation levels. It also plays a vital role in your body’s ability to heal and repair the blood vessels and heart.

People who don’t sleep enough are more likely to get cardiovascular disease. One analysis linked insomnia to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

(Via:https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep-deprivation/effects-on-body#4)

 

Your endocrine system is the one responsible for producing hormones. Hormones are the ones that regulate physical, chemical, sexual, and growth processes in the body.

Hormone production is dependent on your sleep. For testosterone production, you need at least three hours of uninterrupted sleep, which is about the time of your first REM episode. Waking up throughout the night could affect hormone production.

This interruption can also affect growth hormone production, especially in children and adolescents. These hormones help build muscle mass and repair cells and tissues.

The pituitary gland releases growth hormones continuously, but sleep and exercise also help induce the release of this hormone.

(Via:https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep-deprivation/effects-on-body#4)

 

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How Important Is Sleep To Children?

Kids do get sleep. In fact, babies sleep almost all the time. While adults need the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep a day, babies need 2/3 of the day sleeping.

As children grow older, the amount of sleep they need varies:

  • toddlers: 11 to 14 hours
  • preschoolers: 10 to 13 hours
  • school-aged children: 9 to 12 hours
  • teens: 8 to 10 hours

(Via:https://www.healthline.com/health/how-much-deep-sleep-do-you-need#deep-sleep)

Children need to have good quality and quantity of sleep simply because they are growing. And sleep helps support their growth stage. A lot of things can happen during the growth stage. They will need all the help they can get for optimum growth. And sleep is one of them.

 

Deep sleep stimulates growth, especially in babies.

“Growth hormone is primarily secreted during deep sleep,” says Judith Owens, M.D., director of sleep medicine at Children’s National Medical Center, in Washington, D.C., and a Parents advisor. Mother Nature seems to have protected babies by making sure they spend about 50 percent of their time in this deep sleep, considered to be essential for adequate growth. Italian researchers, studying children with deficient levels of growth hormone, have found that they sleep less deeply than average children do.

(Via:https://www.parents.com/health/healthy-happy-kids/the-7-reasons-your-kid-needs-sleep/)

 

Even at a young stage, sleep protects children from cardiovascular harm due to cholesterol and stress hormones.

“Children with sleep disorders have excessive brain arousal during sleep, which can trigger the fight-or-flight response hundreds of times each night,” says Jeffrey Durmer, M.D., Ph.D., a sleep specialist and researcher in Atlanta. “Their blood glucose and cortisol remain elevated at night. Both are linked to higher levels of diabetes, obesity, and even heart disease.”

(Via:https://www.parents.com/health/healthy-happy-kids/the-7-reasons-your-kid-needs-sleep/)

 

Children, including babies, can actually go overboard with food as well, especially if parents mistook their babies’ cry as hunger. But getting enough sleep can counter this.

That’s key, because the sleep-weight connection seems to snowball. When we’ve eaten enough to be satisfied, our fat cells create the hormone leptin, which signals us to stop eating. Sleep deprivation may impact this hormone, so kids keep right on eating. “Over time, kids who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to be obese,” says Dorit Koren, M.D., a pediatric endocrinologist and sleep researcher at the University of Chicago.

Worn-out kids also eat differently than those who are well rested. “Research has shown that children, like adults, crave higher-fat or higher-carb foods when they’re tired,” Dr. Koren says. “Tired children also tend to be more sedentary, so they burn fewer calories.”

(Via:https://www.parents.com/health/healthy-happy-kids/the-7-reasons-your-kid-needs-sleep/)

 

Another great thing about sleep is that it can combat pathogenic microorganisms. The body produces cytokines that are responsible for fighting germs. They are also the ones that make us feel drowsy whenever we are sick, telling us that we need to rest.

During sleep, children (and adults) also produce proteins known as cytokines, which the body relies on to fight infection, illness, and stress. (Besides battling illness, they also make us sleepy, which explains why having the flu or a cold feels so exhausting. It forces us to rest, which further aids the body’s ability to heal.) Too little sleep appears to impact the number of cytokines on hand. And it’s been found that adults who sleep fewer than seven hours per night are almost three times more likely to develop a cold when exposed to that virus than those who sleep eight or more hours. While there’s little data on young children, studies of teens have found that reported bouts of illness declined with longer nightly sleep.

(Via:https://www.parents.com/health/healthy-happy-kids/the-7-reasons-your-kid-needs-sleep/)

 

If there is anything that kids run out of, it would be their attention. More than patience, children easily lose attention.

…tired kids can be impulsive and distracted even though they don’t have ADHD.

For school-age kids, research has shown that adding as little as 27 minutes of extra sleep per night makes it easier for them to manage their moods and impulses so they can focus on schoolwork. Kids with ADHD also seem to be more vulnerable to the effects of too little sleep.

(Via:https://www.parents.com/health/healthy-happy-kids/the-7-reasons-your-kid-needs-sleep/)

 

Like healthy and nutritious foods, children need good sleep as well. Good sleep especially deep sleep helps support their growth, learning, and overall health.

 

If unlike your kids, you are not getting good sleep (which you most likely are) due to snoring, this device can help you. You can also check this if you need more info.

Sleep: What You Need To Know

Mankind has never been busier before than they are now. Today is all about hustling. And it is becoming a norm. At work, there are a lot of things that need to be done in a short period of time. The same goes at home. Getting sleep is almost a luxury. Time ticks so fast that often times we have a hard time getting a hold of it. But if you don’t know it yet, sleep is a vital part of life.

 

Sleep, more specifically enough sleep and good quality sleep, is crucial so you could work efficiently and safely. Not getting enough of it can lead to many problems.

According to the NSF, these are some of the ramifications of sleep problems:

  • Decreased alertness and attentiveness
  • Increased irritability and relationship difficulties
  • Decreased concentration and judgment
  • Decreased performance and productivity
  • Increased risk of accidents

(Via:https://www.parents.com/parenting/moms/healthy-mom/adult-sleep/)

 

Sleep deprivation can cause lessen work efficiency and competence. It can also affect relationships. And most of all, it can get you in an unwanted accident. So if you want to be at the top of your game, all you might be missing is a good night’s sleep. Safety is crucial as well. Getting enough sleep will prevent road accidents from taking place.

 

The recommended hours of sleep is at 7-9 hours a day. But for some people who aren’t getting enough sleep lately, the numbers may change. To determine it yourself, you can do a simple test.

The amount of sleep needed varies with each individual. The NSF suggests a simple experiment to determine your optimum amount of sleep. You need a week or so to determine it, so you should be able to go to sleep when you’re tired and wake up naturally with no alarm clock. Taking a vacation or planning to have someone to help with your children is necessary to do this test.

Simply go to bed when you feel tired, and get up when you feel ready — don’t set an alarm clock. For a few days, you might be sleeping more if you’ve been deprived of sleep. But once you catch up, your body will tell you just how many hours you need to restore yourself each night. Once you’ve learned this important fact about yourself, you can adjust your schedule accordingly.

(Via:https://www.parents.com/parenting/moms/healthy-mom/adult-sleep/)

 

Napping is also a good way of resting. In fact, it can be great.

According to the NSF, a 15- to 20-minute nap can be very beneficial. It can help your alertness and memory, and reduce feelings of fatigue. Napping is a good way for exhausted parents to take the edge off their tiredness. But remember, in the long term a nap is not a substitute for a good night’s sleep.

If you’re unable to get a good night’s sleep, you need to get help for safety’s sake. If attending to small children is causing sleep loss that affects your daily functioning, work out a sleep schedule with your partner, enlist the help of a relative, or pay a child-care provider to help you get more sleep. If insomnia or another sleep disorder is the issue, you may need to see a specialist.

(Via:https://www.parents.com/parenting/moms/healthy-mom/adult-sleep/)

 

But for those who are suffering from sleep disorders, there are available treatments you can discuss with your doctor.

There are successful treatments for sleep disorders, so you don’t have to suffer in silence if you’re not getting enough sleep. Talk with your doctor about your symptoms so he can refer you to a sleep disorders specialist. You’ll have an initial consultation and will probably spend a night or two at the specialist’s clinic to evaluate your sleep problems. You’ll likely be given a polysomnogram, a painless and unobtrusive test that monitors brain waves, muscle activity, heartbeat, and more. After your condition is evaluated, the specialist can give you the appropriate treatment.

(Via:https://www.parents.com/parenting/moms/healthy-mom/adult-sleep/)

 

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Light and Deep Sleep: How Much Do You Need For Each Of Them?

It is recommended for adults to have 7-9 hours of sleep every day. If you think that’s a lot of time and that you could have done something productive at that time, then it depends on what you mean by productive because resting the body for 7-9 hours is fruitful itself.

 

The body goes through a lot while you sleep so you can be more productive when you wake up. It goes through stages of sleep. Along with knowing that you need 7-9 hours of sleep a day, it is also important to know how much you need per stage of it.

There are five stages of sleep that rotate between non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) and include drowsiness, light sleep, moderate to deep sleep, deepest sleep, and dreaming.

Experts have recommended that adults gets about 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. New research aims to identify not just how much total sleep you need — but also how much of each stage of sleep you need.

Sleep stages 1, 2, and REM consist of light sleep, while 3 and 4 comprise deep sleep.

(Via:https://www.healthline.com/health/how-much-deep-sleep-do-you-need)

 

Healthy individuals need about a quarter of the total number of sleeping hours to be in deep sleep.

In healthy adults, about 13 to 23 percent of your sleep is deep sleep. So if you sleep for 8 hours a night, that’s roughly 62 to 110 minutes.

However, as you get older you require less deep sleep.

During deep sleep, a variety of functions take place in the mind and body:

  • memories are consolidated
  • learning and emotions process
  • physical recovery occurs
  • blood sugar levels and metabolism balance out
  • the immune system is energized
  • the brain detoxifies

(Via:https://www.healthline.com/health/how-much-deep-sleep-do-you-need)

 

The same goes for REM sleep. The REM cycle starts at 1 ½ hours after you’ve fallen asleep and repeats at the same time interval.

For most adults, REM takes up about 20 to 25 percent of sleep, and this seems to be healthy during average sleep cycles. However, sleep research is raising some interesting questions. One recent study suggested that higher amounts of REM sleep may be associated with depression. But don’t go making sudden changes in your sleep habits — it is not clear which is the cause and which is the effect.

(Via:https://www.healthline.com/health/how-much-deep-sleep-do-you-need)

 

For light sleep, the stage when you are in transition to a more stable sleep, there is no minimum. But you have to remember that too much of it has consequences.

Although sleep scientists believe that light sleep is good for you, there is no minimum to strive for. Light sleep is usually the default stage, one that is nearly impossible to avoid if you are asleep at all.

Too much overall sleep on a regular basis, however, is linked to obesity, depression, pain, heart disease, and even increased risk of death.

(Via:https://www.healthline.com/health/how-much-deep-sleep-do-you-need)

 

Babies and kids need more sleep than adults do.

Babies and children need more sleep than adults. Babies need the most, spending about 16 of every 24 hours asleep. Approximately 50 percent of their slumber is spent in the REM stage, while the other 50 percent is divided between stages 1 through 4 and NREM sleep that cycles between light and deep.

As children grow older, the amount of sleep they need varies:

  • toddlers: 11 to 14 hours
  • preschoolers: 10 to 13 hours
  • school-aged children: 9 to 12 hours
  • teens: 8 to 10 hours

(Via:https://www.healthline.com/health/how-much-deep-sleep-do-you-need)

 

Sleep should make you feel rejuvenated the next day. If you don’t feel like you are and instead feel tired, you might not be getting the recommended number of hours of sleep per day as well as its sub-stages.

According to the American Sleep Apnea Association, you should feel fresh and alert when you wake up, but many people don’t.

If you’re sleeping for 7 to 9 hours each night, but only 10 percent of that is deep sleep, you’re not getting the 90 minutes you need and might still be tired each day. A sleep study may help you figure out what is going on.

There are a number of possible causes that you might want to discuss with a doctor, including:

  • general sleep disorder
  • obstructive sleep apnea
  • not getting enough sleep
  • getting too much sleep
  • other health conditions that cause fatigue

(Via:https://www.healthline.com/health/how-much-deep-sleep-do-you-need)

 

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What’s Causing You To Snore?

You won’t always know that you snore. In fact, you don’t actually realize that you are snoring. It’s your partner that knows and complains especially if it gets loud. It can be really loud.

 

Snoring affects millions of people. But why do people snore? What is it really? Well, have you noticed an animation about someone singing loudly that their tiny tissue hanging on their throat is showing? Yes, that one. Sound is produced when air vibrates within the soft palates and that tissue. This happens when your airways get narrow.

When you hear someone snoring, it means air is not flowing freely through the back of the throat. The sound occurs when air causes vibration of the soft palate and the uvula, the tiny pink flap of tissue that hangs down at the rear of your throat.

(Via:http://www.columbianeurology.org/neurology/staywell/document.php?id=136)

 

Besides being an inconvenience to other people, snoring can mean something else to you. Snoring is not a disease or an illness. But it can be a symptom or a cause of a medical condition.

Asides from being a nuisance to your friends or your partner, snoring also affects how you sleep. It reduces the quality of your sleep, could result in sleep apnea or lead to chronic sleep deprivation. Ever woken up in the morning tired, cranky and not quite feeling like you got a good night time’s rest? Snoring might be the cause.

(Via:https://www.sleepcycle.com/snoring/10-natural-snoring-remedies/)

 

We need to know the factors other than medical ones that could affect snoring so we can properly address it on our own. The first and common one is weight. If you weigh more than you should at your age, height, or physical activities, then chances are that you’ll snore. If biology were to be a basis, then men are less fortunate than women.

A couple of factors come into play here. One popular one is weight. Carrying excess weight around your neck and throat can cause snoring. Then there is good old biology. In general, men have narrower air passages than women and are most likely to snore.

(Via:https://www.sleepcycle.com/snoring/10-natural-snoring-remedies/)

 

Not having head elevation while sleeping is also a factor.

Sleeping flat on your back could also make you more susceptible to snoring. Even the shape of your mouth or a stuffy nose from a cold could make you sound like an old engine revving up.

(Via:https://www.sleepcycle.com/snoring/10-natural-snoring-remedies/)

 

The current condition of your nasal passages is another one.

Another very popular one is the structure of your entire nasal cavity. Deviated septums, nasal polyps and enlarged tonsils could be the cause of your snoring.

(Via:https://www.sleepcycle.com/snoring/10-natural-snoring-remedies/)

 

Sometimes, for you to find out, the way you snore could tell you why. You may need your partner to observe you while you are sleeping. Or, you can go ahead and record yourself in a video.

How you snore could also be telling of why you snore. If you snore with your mouth closed, you could be snoring because of a problem with your tongue. While if you snore with your mouth open, a problem with your throat could be the cause of your snoring.

Identifying why you snore is very key in figuring out how to make it stop.

(Via:https://www.sleepcycle.com/snoring/10-natural-snoring-remedies/)

 

Finding out your body weight, sleeping practices, and the way you snore can be the key to finding a solution on how to stop it. Unless the cause is a medical condition, then the best thing to do is go to the doctor. If not, all that’s needed is some observations.

 

Snoring can be troublesome not just for your partner but for you as well. If you need help with your snoring, you can check this site. You can find a review here as well.

How To Address Snoring Naturally

You will snore at some point in your life. That is a fact. Will it imply that something is wrong? Yes, it can. Can something be done to address it? Yes to that as well.

 

Snoring happens when your air has a hard time getting through your air passages. The air vibrates within the walls of the throat and produces a sound that we know as a snore. Snoring is more common in middle to older aged people. The loud kind of snore, that is. Snoring can be both a symptom of a condition or a cause to it. This is why knowing your health condition, medical condition, sleeping practices, and the way you snore can help determine how to address your snoring problems.

 

If your snoring isn’t caused by a medical condition, then you can opt for a treatment that won’t necessarily require medical attention. But if you are in doubt, it’s best to consult your physician. Here are some natural measures you can do about your snoring.

 

Drop the excess weight.

People who are overweight are two times more likely to snore than those who aren’t. The reason is simple, overweight people carry extra fat around their necks which narrows their airways and causes them to snore. So lose a couple of pounds and lose your noisy nighttime companion. Switching up your diet, getting some exercise and ironically enough sleep will help you lose weight.

(Via:https://www.sleepcycle.com/snoring/10-natural-snoring-remedies/)

 

Switch to other sleeping positions.

Sleeping on your back can cause your airways to become blocked or narrowed. If you notice that you snore while sleeping on your back it is time to switch up your sleeping position. Sleeping on your side is usually recommended. Old habits die hard so the odds are that as you drift deeper into sleep you’d roll unto your back again. The fix? Invest in a body pillow. A body pillow will help you maintain sleeping on your side. Another mean old trick is sewing tennis balls unto the back of your pajamas.

(Via:https://www.sleepcycle.com/snoring/10-natural-snoring-remedies/)

 

Reduce alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking.

If you drink alcohol habitually, especially before bed that might be the cause of your snoring. Drinking alcohol a couple of hours before you go to bed relaxes your throat muscles, causing you to snore. Regular smokers are also likely to snore. Smoking irritates your throat tissues leading to inflammation, that results in snores.

(Via:https://www.sleepcycle.com/snoring/10-natural-snoring-remedies/)

 

Increase water intake.

Staying hydrated is always a good idea, particularly for snorers. Dehydration leads to mucus forming in your nose which could make you snore. Drinking about 3.7 liters of water for men, and about 2.7 liters of water for women is highly recommended.

(Via:https://www.sleepcycle.com/snoring/10-natural-snoring-remedies/)

 

Try a humidifier.

While dry air might not be the main cause of your snoring, it can certainly aggravate it. So get a couple of humidifiers to keep the air in your room nice and moist. The added moisture in the air will help lubricate your throat. Making it easier for air to flow in and out without causing any noisy vibrations.

(Via:https://www.sleepcycle.com/snoring/10-natural-snoring-remedies/)

 

Avoid inflammation from food.

Dairy and gluten products are well-known culprits for causing tissues in your nose and throat to become inflamed. You don’t have to completely cut out that yummy glass of chocolate milk you have every day. Pick out some days where you have some plain tea instead and don’t have it too soon before bed.

(Via:https://www.sleepcycle.com/snoring/10-natural-snoring-remedies/)

 

Inhale some steam, but not from a boiling pot of water.

Use a facial steam bowl to open up your airways just before you go to bed. This comes in especially handy if a stuffy nose from a cold or allergies is the cause of your snoring. First, fill a large bowl with hot water. Next, drop your head over it. Get close enough for the steam to do its job but not too close so you don’t get burned. Drape a towel over your head to lock in the moisture. Taking a warm bath or a hot shower also has the same effects.

(Via:https://www.sleepcycle.com/snoring/10-natural-snoring-remedies/)

 

Don’t sleep flat on your back.

If sleeping on your side instead of your back doesn’t stop your snoring, you might need to prop up your head a little bit. This will ease breathing and open up your airways. Using a pillow or two should do the trick. You could also slightly the front of your bed by a couple of inches.

(Via:https://www.sleepcycle.com/snoring/10-natural-snoring-remedies/)

 

Snoring can be such a nuisance. Don’t let it ruin your perfect sleep. If you want to discover another way of dealing with it, click here. You can also find more here.

Most Prevalent Sleep Disturbances

All of us need good quality and quantity of sleep. But unfortunately, not every one of us can get it. Society today compels us to work harder than we did yesterday. More time is spent on working than resting.  Sleep can sometimes be a luxury for some. But the truth of the matter is that we need as much sleep as we can get. Getting the enough number of hours of sleep is crucial and it should be of good quality. As in, you are having a deep sleep and not spending more time tossing and turning or waking up in the middle of the night.

 

Some people can easily fall asleep. Some others find it a chore. Some have a sound sleep while others don’t. Sleeping isn’t the same for everyone no matter how much we need it or get it. Sleeping can be inconvenient for others especially for those who have medical conditions. Here are some of the most common sleep disturbances.

 

Snoring. Snoring happens when your air passages get narrow.

About half of all people in the world snore at some point in their lives. More common in men, over 40 percent of adult men and 24 percent of adult women are habitual snorers. In more detail, snoring is the sound that comes from obstructed air movement in your throat when you breathe while sleeping. 

(Via:https://www.sleepcycle.com/sleep-disorders/the-most-common-sleep-disorders/)

 

Sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is also known as a stop in breathing while sleeping.

Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder. People who go untreated stop breathing repeatedly during sleep. This can lead to the brain and the rest of the body not getting enough oxygen. Which in turn can lead to stroke, heart failure, diabetes, depression, and headaches.

(Via:https://www.sleepcycle.com/sleep-disorders/the-most-common-sleep-disorders/)

 

Insomnia. Sounds familiar? Like snoring, one probably has or will encounter this in their life.

Ever had trouble falling asleep? Or do you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night, unable to fall back to sleep? Is this something you experience more than three days a week? If so, you might be suffering from insomnia. Insomnia refers to habitual sleeplessness and is the most common sleep disorder in the world.

(Via:https://www.sleepcycle.com/sleep-disorders/the-most-common-sleep-disorders/)

 

Narcolepsy. This is a medical condition that involves extreme sleepiness during the day.

Also referred to as Excessive uncontrollable daytime sleepiness, narcolepsy causes overwhelming daytime sleepiness. It is a chronic sleep disorder affecting 1 in 2,000 to 3,000 people. The cause of narcolepsy is related to the loss of cells in the brain that secrete hypocretin. Hypocretin is a chemical in the brain that is important for regulating wakefulness.

(Via:https://www.sleepcycle.com/sleep-disorders/the-most-common-sleep-disorders/)

 

Sleep paralysis. As the name suggests, the body gets paralyzed but only temporarily when waking up or falling asleep.

Imagine waking up in the middle the night without being able to move or speak. Known to occur both when falling asleep and upon waking, sleep paralysis is the inability to move or speak even if you feel wide awake. A session usually lasts around one to two minutes and can be quite frightening for those who’ve experienced it.

(Via:https://www.sleepcycle.com/sleep-disorders/the-most-common-sleep-disorders/)

 

Sleepwalking. Ever seen those movies where someone who’s asleep suddenly gets up and starts walking? That is actually true. But it happens more in children than in adults.

Sleepwalking is when a person walks around or performs other complex behavior while sleeping. The activity is much more common in children than adults and more likely to happen if the person is sleep deprived. The sleepwalker will most likely not even remember what happened and remains in deep sleep during the entire episode.

(Via:https://www.sleepcycle.com/sleep-disorders/the-most-common-sleep-disorders/)

 

Also called Willis-Ekbom Disease, Restless Leg Syndrome is a condition where there is an uneasy feeling in the legs and an extreme drive to move them.

Sometimes described as “pins and needles”, Restless Legs Syndrome creates a hopeless situation when you’re also trying to fall asleep at the same time. It affects up to 10% of the adult population and is more common among middle-aged women. In most cases, no cause is known to affect RLS, but it’s suspected that genes do play a role and that RLS is hereditary.

(Via:https://www.sleepcycle.com/sleep-disorders/the-most-common-sleep-disorders/)

 

If you are experiencing any of these problems, a visit to the doctor might be needed. But if you prefer a non-medical method, you might want to check this out, as well as this link.

Get Yourself A Better Sleep By Following These Tips

Life is busy. Could it get any busier? Yes. But can you have enough sleep every day? Yes as well.  Today’s active and bustling society may not rest, but you can. In fact, getting enough and good quality sleep has to be given more emphasis these days since getting busy is starting to be a norm.

 

Sleep is just as important as good nutrition and exercise. One can never truly call himself or herself healthy without any one of these three. Sleeping can actually lead to a healthy life. If you are having a hard time falling asleep or getting a good sleep, these tips will help you out.

 

Shut off the noise.

You may not recall the racket caused by yesterday’s midnight garbage pickup, but your body probably does. Even if you don’t wake up, noise can disrupt your slumber and cause restlessness, increased heart rate and blood pressure, and changes in breathing patterns…

(Via: https://www.health.com/sleep/advice-for-better-sleep?slide=525773#525773)

 

Have some aromatherapy.

Creating a bedtime ritual that includes diffusing (a process of dispersing) essential oils 30 minutes before sacking out is a simple and effective way to cue the body to rest, says Sara Panton, essential-oil expert and cofounder of Vitruvi. Not only are there certain scents that encourage drowsiness, but the very act of setting up a routine helps signal to your brain that it’s time to start shutting off.

(Via: https://www.health.com/sleep/advice-for-better-sleep?slide=525767#525767)

 

Be cool. Literally.

Body temperature regularly fluctuates throughout the day—it’s usually at its highest in the afternoon and lowest in the early a.m. So if your room is hot, your body will work all night to cool down—and if you’re sweating, you’re more likely to wake up. The sweet spot: 65 degrees, according to the National Sleep Foundation.

(Via: https://www.health.com/sleep/advice-for-better-sleep?slide=525770#525770)

 

Give your space a room to breathe. Exercise caution though. You might not want to open your windows for too long especially if there are insects and creepy crawlies that want to join you inside.

Room stuffiness can hike nasal congestion and hinder your ability to breathe while you doze. Per a study in the journal Indoor Air, people who kept their window open overnight felt more alert the next morning than they did when it had been kept closed. If you live in a city and opening your window exposes you to noise, crack it open for 15 minutes during the day instead. No windows? No problem. Invest in a plant like a peace lily, which naturally purifies air.

(Via: https://www.health.com/sleep/advice-for-better-sleep?slide=525782#525782)

 

Make the room darker earlier.

Not only does light send “stay awake” alerts to the brain, it also has an effect on circadian rhythm, which controls your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, explains Lawrence Epstein, MD, assistant medical director of Brigham Sleep Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Brightness also stops the production of melatonin (the tired hormone), suppressing your sleep signal. While you likely kill the lights before you get in bed, you actually need to dim them much sooner. Switch from overhead lights to lamps around dinnertime to help your body wind down.

(Via: https://www.health.com/sleep/advice-for-better-sleep?slide=525788#525788)

 

Say no to chocolate. They can be like coffee.

Whether it’s ice cream, brownies, cookies, or candy—all cocoa contains caffeine. Which means your nightly choco habit could be costing you precious z’s. If you want to indulge your sweet tooth, consider yogurt (high in muscle-relaxing magnesium) topped with fresh cherries (which contain melatonin).

(Via: https://www.health.com/sleep/advice-for-better-sleep?slide=525791#525791)

 

If you think alcohol is a good precursor to sleep, think again.

Alcohol is a double-edged sword. Yes, that nightcap might initially help you doze off, but don’t be fooled—it reduces sleep quality, explains Dr. Epstein. That’s because while booze is linked to increasing certain sleepy feelings, it also causes you to wake up repeatedly, interfering with restorative sleep. Instead of pouring yourself a glass right before you hit the hay, take your last sips two hours earlier.

(Via:https://www.health.com/sleep/advice-for-better-sleep?slide=525797#525797)

 

Sleep can now be easier to achieve. If you have trouble with sleeping due to snoring, visit https://snoringmouthpiecereview.org/good-morning-snore-solution to find a solution. Check this site as well for more details.

Reasons Why Being A Night Person Is Not Good For Your Health

Many things can keep us up at night. It can be work that you took home as an assignment because your boss insists on having it done by morning. It can also be insomnia or a medical condition like anxiety. It can also be that you are doing a movie marathon on Netflix. Or maybe, you just like to be up at night and not during daylight. Whichever it is, it’s nowhere near good. This is so because studies have shown that the relationship with improper sleep-wake cycle and health issues are direct.

 

You’ll be at risk for higher blood pressure. You don’t have it in the family. You eat healthy meals. Therefore don’t let being a night owl break the chain.

In a 2013 study in the journal Chronobiology International, researchers found that “evening types” were  than “morning types” to have , even after they controlled for participants’ total amount of sleep and sleep quality.

(Via:https://www.health.com/sleep/health-risks-night-owl?slide=513065#513065)

 

You’ll have less time for exercise. Sleep is important. So is exercise. Don’t lose both.

Self-described night owls  than people who consider themselves early birds, according to a 2014 research abstract in the journal Sleep; they also report having more difficulty finding time to exercise and maintaining a regular exercise schedule.

(Via: https://www.health.com/sleep/health-risks-night-owl?slide=513071#513071)

 

You’re more likely to gain weight. Unless you want that, then this probably won’t be a problem.

Some experts believe that  disrupts the body’s natural overnight fasting period, which can interfere with its ability to burn fat. Night owls also happen to  per day than early birds, according to a 2011 study in the journal Obesity–248 more, on average–perhaps because willpower is lower when you’re tired and we  late at night.

(Via:https://www.health.com/sleep/health-risks-night-owl?slide=513077#513077)

 

You’re more at risk for diabetes type 2.

In one 2015 study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, men with evening chronotypes were more likely to have  (a condition in which the body loses muscle mass), compared to men with morning chronotypes.

Female night owls, compared with their early bird counterparts, tended to have more belly fat and a greater risk of metabolic syndrome—a cluster of conditions (like high blood pressure, , and high cholesterol) that increase a person’s risk for heart disease and diabetes.

(Via:https://www.health.com/sleep/health-risks-night-owl?slide=513086#513086)

 

Night sleep can also make it harder to manage.

For those who do go on to develop diabetes, being a night owl can make the condition more difficult to manage. A 2013 study in Diabetes Care found that, for people with type 2 diabetes, having a later bedtime is associated with —even after researchers controlled for total sleep duration.

(Via:https://www.health.com/sleep/health-risks-night-owl?slide=513083#513083)

 

Unless you don’t have a job, you won’t get a decent sleep.

Speaking of the amount of sleep you get: Night owls also tend to get less overall than those who are early-to-bed, early-to-rise. “If you can’t fall asleep until 2 or 3 in the morning and you have to be at work at 9, you’re not going to be able to get as much good-quality sleep as you really should,” says Dr. Varga.

(Via:https://www.health.com/sleep/health-risks-night-owl?slide=513050#513050)

 

We all make big decisions. But taking a risk is a different thing.

Staying up late and sleeping in every morning is also associated with a , according to a 2014 study in Evolutionary Psychology. While men in the study took more financial risks than women overall, women who were self-described night owls were more daring than those who were early birds.

(Via:https://www.health.com/sleep/health-risks-night-owl?slide=513095#513095)

All these should be enough reasons to get to be more productive during daytime than at night time. Sleep is an important part of life and should be taken seriously. So should you have problems that could prevent you from having a good sleep like snoring, consider checking this site. This link can guide you as well.

Science Approved Ways To Fall Asleep Easier

Sleep is a crucial form of rest for the whole body. Everyone needs it. But sometimes, not everyone gets it. Other than staying up for long purposely because of work or other activities, one can’t go to sleep simply because he or she has insomnia. Insomnia can be caused by a number of factors. The most commons ones are medications or medical conditions that disturb the sleep cycle. But if you’re not under any of these, then what’s been keeping you up may be anxiety.

Unless certain medical conditions or medications are the cause of your sleeplessness, the most common culprit is anxiety, says Lisa Meltzer, an education scholar for the National Sleep Foundation and associate professor of pediatrics at National Jewish Health in Denver.

(Via:https://www.huffpost.com/entry/15-ways-to-fall-asleep-faster_n_55dde3e7e4b04ae497054470)

 

Anxiety makes you too aware of your surroundings. Which makes sense. The unease, worry or fear can sometimes keep you up more than caffeine ever could. If you are having a hard time relaxing, these evidence-based ways to fall asleep easier can help you.

 

Compel yourself to stay awake.

Is there anything reverse psychology isn’t good for? In this case, it may alleviate excessive sleep anxiety. A small study conducted at the University of Glasgow found that sleep-onset insomniacs who were instructed to lay in bed and try to stay awake with their eyes open fell asleep quicker than participants told to fall asleep without this “paradoxical intention” (PI). Participants in the PI group fell asleep easier and showed less sleep performance anxiety.

(Via:https://www.huffpost.com/entry/15-ways-to-fall-asleep-faster_n_55dde3e7e4b04ae497054470)

 

Get your hands and brain working by doing something for 10 minutes.

“This is a stimulus control theory,” says Meltzer. “Everything in life has a stimulus value, even your bed,” meaning your body should recognize that lying in bed means it’s time to go to sleep. To give your bed that value, the only things you should be doing in it are sleep and sex, she explains. “Getting out of bed if you can’t sleep is the hardest one to do, but it’s so important. If you’re spending 10 hours in bed, but only sleeping six, that’s really bad. Your bed becomes a place for thinking, worrying, watching TV, and not for sleeping.”

(Via:https://www.huffpost.com/entry/15-ways-to-fall-asleep-faster_n_55dde3e7e4b04ae497054470)

 

Keep your clock away. But why?

You toss and turn, trying to fall asleep, watching the minutes tick toward morning on your bedside clock. Does this scenario sound familiar? Do yourself a favor: Hide the clock. Constantly checking the time only increases your stress, making it harder to turn down the dial on your nervous system and fall asleep. “If you stare at the clock, it increases your stress and worry about not falling asleep,” says Meltzer.

(Via:https://www.huffpost.com/entry/15-ways-to-fall-asleep-faster_n_55dde3e7e4b04ae497054470)

 

Cool body temperature helps you fall asleep faster.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends a bedroom temperature of 60 to 67 degrees F for the most sleep-friendly conditions.

“The secret is cool, dark, comfortable bedrooms,” says Meltzer. “Darkness cues the brain to make melatonin, which tells your interior clock that it’s time to sleep. Melatonin cools your internal body temperature, which reaches its lowest point between 2 and 4 a.m.”

(Via:https://www.huffpost.com/entry/15-ways-to-fall-asleep-faster_n_55dde3e7e4b04ae497054470)

 

Taking a warm shower before going to bed can help as well. But wasn’t it that cool body temperature is what helps you to fall asleep faster? Yes. When you take a warm shower, you don’t stay warm after it.

Warming your body up with a hot shower an hour before bed and then stepping into cooler air will cause your body temperature to drop more precipitously. Studies show that this rapid temperature decrease slows your metabolism faster and prepares your body for sleep. “Showers can also be very relaxing, so that helps, too,” says Meltzer. If you shower every night around the same time, making it part of a consistent bedtime routine, you’ll see the most sleep value from it, she adds. “Then your body has an expectation of what’s coming next.”

(Via:https://www.huffpost.com/entry/15-ways-to-fall-asleep-faster_n_55dde3e7e4b04ae497054470)

 

Sleep is crucial. Don’t let snoring get in the way. Do away with it by clicking this link. You can also visit this page for more information.