Sleep Centers cater to a segment of the population that finds it very difficult to get a good night’s sleep. There are many sleep disorders that contribute to this, but first among them is sleep apnea. A sleep study will determine, among the many sleep disorders, what it is that you have. Here is a great article about sleep disorders.

Technology and Your Sleep Disorder

Are you a night owl who stays up late watching television, working on your computer or engaging in social networking or gaming? Do

you have children or teenagers who spend time on the computer after dinner or chat on Skype until bedtime?

Technology is a wonderful thing and we wouldn’t be without it. However there are areas of our life where technology can hinder rather than help – and natural sleep is one of those areas. The biggest culprits are computers – whose bright, interactive and dynamic screens stimulate our minds instead of allowing them to relax.

Technology and sleep don’t mix

A recent survey by the National Sleep Foundation of America found that approximately two thirds of those surveyed did not have their sleep needs met during the week.

According to Charles Czeisler PhD, MD, (Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital) the use of technology in the hour before bedtime may contribute to this. Czeisler said exposure to artificial light (such as computer and television screens) between dusk and bedtime can affect our ability to fall asleep, as it suppresses the release of melatonin (the sleep-promoting hormone), enhances alertness and shifts the circadian rhythm to a later hour.

So if you’re like the 95% of survey responders who said they used some type of technology before they went to sleep, the secret to a better night’s sleep could simply be switching off a little earlier in the evening. By creating an interval between your screen and your bedtime, and using this time for relaxing activities such as reading, meditation or massage, you’re setting yourself up for a great night’s sleep.

It’s not just adults who need to limit their technological interactions before bedtime. Children’s bedrooms are increasingly becoming multimedia centres. In the UK, Ofcom’s 2008 findings reported that children aged 8-11 years had an average of four media devices in their rooms, and children aged 12-15 years had an average of six! The use of the internet in children’s bedrooms had significantly increased from 2005 – to 9% in 8-11 year olds and 20% in 12-15 year olds. With the myriad of mobile devices now available, usage in the present day is even higher. It is important to monitor your child’s exposure to screens before bedtime, especially if they are having issues with sleeping.

While you were sleeping…

Switching off before bed is great, but what about while you are sleeping? Turn out your bedroom lights and – once your eyes adjust – have a look around. How many little lights do you see coming from the television, your mobile phone or the digital clock? Are streetlights streaming through gaps in the curtains?

Even the smallest amount of light can disrupt your sleep patterns so try to minimise its impact. In her book “The Happiness Project” Gretchen Rubin talks about how she blocked the light from all her bedroom gizmos, and found that although it was a little difficult to accomplish it made falling asleep much easier.

For a better night’s sleep:

· Be ‘screen free’ in the hour or two before bedtime and use this time for relaxation – reading, conversation, meditation or massage

· remove as many pieces of technology from all bedrooms as possible

· use an eye mask to block out light (it can also be used for relaxation during the day)

· if any device must stay, conceal lights (adhesive tape or a piece of fabric works well). For digital clocks, turn the face away so you are not tempted to look at it if you wake in the night

· choose quality curtains that block out the light.


Getting a Perfect Night’s Rest

After a long and hectic day, you want nothing more than to slip into sweet slumber. However, for many of us a good night’s rest seems impossible. Even if you are so tired you can barely climb into bed, you have trouble either falling to sleep or staying asleep. As a result, you feel sleep deprived the next day and the cycle continues. What can you do to get a restful night?

Prepare For a Restful Night During the Day

How can you prepare for a restful night during the day? Your daily routine can have a profound effect on your sleep habits. What you eat and the activities you do each day can make the difference between a good sleep and a poor one. Here are a few tips.

Exercise more. It seems that exercise is the answer to all that ails you, but it is true. Exercise helps boost your metabolism and burn off excess energy. Not to mention the fact that exercise will help aid digestion and digestive problems can keep you up all night. Get at least 20 minutes of vigorous exercise during the day and you will sleep better. You can add exercise into your daily routine by taking the stairs, parking further away from the door and other simple ways to make your body work harder. Just one note, don’t exercise too close to bedtime. Exercise tends to give you an energy boost and you want to be relaxed before bed!

Eat better. This, like exercise, is another one of those tips you hear all the time that will make your feel better. Again, it is true for getting a good night’s rest. You should eat a well-balanced diet all the time, but avoid certain foods close to bedtime. The typical culprits for an uneasy sleep are spicy foods, caffeine, and foods high in fat. But some people also find that sweets like chocolate, which is high in both fat and sugar, or just sugary snacks will cause digestive problems that keep you awake. Stay away from foods like these in the evening. Some people find that staying away from them from mid-afternoon on is best. Eat a simple meal for supper instead of a big one and you will sleep much better!

Make Your Bedroom a Restful Place

Do you use your bedroom as an office, media room or gym? Many of us have turned our sleeping areas into multi-use rooms and that has confused our brains! Your head doesn’t know what you want when you walk in to the bedroom. Are you going to work, watch television, or exercise? If your bedroom is used for just for sleeping, your body will respond in a restful manner when you enter. Your brain will send the signal that it is time for bed.

Is your bed comfortable? If your bed isn’t comfortable and supportive, you will not get a good night’s rest no matter what else you do. Many people will continue sleeping on a worn out mattress because they can’t justify spending thousands of dollars on a new mattress. But, when you figure you spend roughly one-third of your life in bed, it is a worthwhile investment. Not only will you sleep better, but you will function better in your daily life as well.

Check the temperature in your bedroom. Most people sleep better at a lower temperature. So even though you like your home toasty warm during the day, turn the thermostat down at night. You will get a more restful night’s sleep if you aren’t sweaty!

If none of these tips help you get a better night’s sleep, then you should consult your doctor. There may be a medical reason why you are sleeping poorly and your physician can help you.

It has been shown that sleep disorders affect quality of life. Little or no sleep at all affects productivity, physical and mental states and also emotional stability. This great article further discusses sleep disorders and their repercussions.

The Side Effects Of Little Or No Sleep

If you enjoy living, it is in your best interest to take sleep very seriously. This is one of the most essential basic keys to good health and can easily infringe on anyone’s ability to function well both physically and mentally.

Most in our society don’t get enough sleep simply because it always seems that there is so much to do. It is important however to make sure that you sleep for at least 7 hours a night because over time it could be sleep deprivation that is interfering with your ability to get things done.

When you are tired because of lack of sleep you move slower than usual without even realizing it making it harder to focus on the functions that help make daily tasks easily completed. This can and usually leads to a bit of frustration as well. Not enjoying the proper amount of sleep you are endangering yourself will questionable judgments, slower reflexes and often flaring tempers.

Research involving truck drivers reveals that drivers without the proper amount of sleep have less than acceptable acute senses awareness and is the reasoning behind many state laws mandating the number of hours that drivers can sit behind the wheel without sleep and rest. Lack of sleep in not something to simply take for granted especially concerning driving.

It is also believed that lack of sleep can cause memory loss and certain mental illnesses. Not enough sleep can cause delusions and paranoia as well as being responsible in part for bad sudden judgments in reasoning.

Insomnia and many other sleep related problems including night terrors are beginning to show their ugly head in many of today’s youth. Children that routinely have sleep problems are the most likely to fall asleep in class and have behavior related problems in the classroom. These kids usually do poorly in school.

Not realizing the importance of sleep is putting many parents and their children is placing their health in harm’s way. It is best to start out life with healthy sleeping habits and making good night habits a constant routine. Keeping a steady nighttime routine schedule with the aid of a TV is an excellent way to ensure good sleep. If getting a good nights sleep is becoming a problem for anyone you care about, you should invest the time to examine and improve your sleep habits. Many serious sleep issues are caused by sleep deprivation over time and never from just one night every now and then. If left unsolved sleep issues can lead to serious mental and physical issues.

Did you know that women are affected by sleep disorders more than men?

More than 1 in 5 Americans suffer from a sleep disorder a condition that has significant health and financial impact. During a recent conference on the.…

 

Doctors are more receptive to helping patients find solutions and cures to the various sleep disorders that prevent them from getting good night’s sleep. If you’re suffering from one, ask your doctor if a sleep study is necessary. No one should suffer through a sleepless night, night after night! 

 


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