We all know that getting good sleep at night has a direct impact on how we feel during the day. If you sleep poorly even one night, you will probably feel sluggish and tired the next day. And if you continually get poor sleep it can lead to serious health problems down the road.
However, while most of us know how important sleep is to our health, many people may not realize that they're practicing poor sleep habits, or are not aware of better sleep habits.
Topics: Sleep Tips
Everyday nearly 2 million people board planes to travel to destinations far from their homes. Many of these people will cross multiple time zones ending up in new locations many hours ahead or behind of what the traveler is used to.
Considering our long history as a people, rapid travel is a very new development. One in which people's biological makeup is still having difficulty adjusting to. Many travelers experience difficulty sleeping and trouble staying awake or alert when they arrive at a new location. This common occurence is known as jet lag.
If you are concerned about your child's bed-wetting, or if other symptoms accompany the problem, inform your child's pediatrician. He or she will ask about your child's symptoms and about other factors that may contribute to bed-wetting.
Topics: bedwetting, Pediatrics
Parent's Guide to a Healthier Children's Sleep (Updated 2019) - Sleep Reports
Sleep apnea is rare in childhood as it usually affects adults. When it occurs in children, it can be very serious. Sleep apnea causes the affected person to stop breathing for short periods during the night. If your child has the condition, you may hear them snoring or breathing strangely, and it can disturb their sleep.
Sleep apnea in children requires prompt treatment because it can lead to learning and behavioural problems, issues with growth and heart problems. Children with the condition may need to have their tonsils or adenoids removed to clear their airway. They may also need a special mask attached to a machine to help regulate their breathing while they sleep. If the child is overweight, weight loss may help to improve or resolve their condition.
Even if your child does not have sleep apnea, parents face many obstacles getting their baby and themselves the sleep they require. Hannah Stevens, blog writer for www.SleepReports.com shared an insightful and informative article with Alaska Sleep Clinic titled, "A Parent's Guide to Healthier Sleep in Their Children." Here is an excerpt:
We’ve created a quick and handy guide to how much sleep your child needs at every stage of their development, along with some handy sleep tips for each age. Remember that very young children will not get all of their sleep at night- nap times contribute to their total sleep time. By the age of around 5, your child will probably no longer need a nap and should have adjusted to getting all their sleep during the night.
Newborns usually sleep in chunks of around 2-4 hours each time. At this stage, they are simply not wired to sleep through the night like an older child or adult can. Some babies may sleep better if you swaddle them and/or use a white noise machine, as both of these methods can be very reassuring. Babies of this age should sleep flat on their back to avoid the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and do not need a pillow. For a better night sleep, every parents should use a good crib mattress to reduce the risk of SIDS.
At this age, you can begin to try and establish the start of a bedtime routine, for example by having a soothing bath and a story before bed. Your baby will still need naps totalling around 4-5 hours per day.
Many babies are able and ready to sleep through the night by this age, although some may not be quite there yet. To encourage longer sleep sessions during the night, you can try feeding your baby immediately before putting them to bed.
Your baby can now be put down to bed when they are sleepy but still awake. They may be anxious to be left at first, but with plenty of reassurance they will learn that you will come back in the morning when they wake up. It’s also important to check that your baby cannot escape from their crib, as some children of this age will be able to climb out and could potentially injure themselves.
A predictable nap and sleep routine is important for children of this age. Try and put them down to sleep at the same time every day and try to engage in familiar, soothing activities before bed. Your child will still need 2-3 hours of nap time a day at this age, with the balance of their total sleep time at night.
Some 2-3 year olds will be ready and able to transfer to a regular bed. Many parents also potty train their children at this age. Although some night-time accidents are inevitable and normal at this age, it’s a good idea to limit food and drink close to bedtime to keep this to a minimum. All the same, it’s a good idea to invest in some protective, waterproof bedding during this time. If your child uses screens, try not to allow them too close to bedtime.
By the time your child is 5, they probably won’t need a daytime nap at all any more. Don’t be surprised if your child experiences nightmares for the first time around now- bad dreams are very common at this age.
Although your child is older, they still need consistent routines, rules and boundaries around bedtime. Limiting screen time before bed is especially important, as children tend to access devices more at this age. Many older children have busy routines full of extra-curricular and social activities. However, it’s important that you do not allow this to encroach on their need for enough sleep.
Connect with Hannah's entire article here.
Topics: sleep and children
Getting the right amount of nightly sleep can mean the world of difference in how awake and alert we feel during the day. You may even think you're getting enough sleep at night because you go to bed 7-9 hours before you wake every morning, but you may not be aware that your sleep is being disturbed and causing you to feel drowsy during the day.
The following quiz is based on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, a short questionnaire that is used by sleep professionals to measure a patients likelihood of falling asleep at innappropriate times during the day. Answers are helpful for sleep physicians in diagnosing (or ruling out) potential sleep disorders.
Topics: sleep assessment
Alaska Sleep Clinic is honored to be featured in a blog article written by Mottram Hall, the UK's first Alfresco Thermospace Spa. Mottram Hall reached out to ASC to find out how vitalsleep is in preventing mental burnout and achieving a healthy lifestyle.
Topics: cognitive sleep issues, mental, burnout
Alaska Sleep Clinic is honored to be featured in a blog article written by Champneys, the UK's original health resort. Champneys reached out to ASC to find out how important sleep is to a marathon runner's physical and mental recovery after an event. In Alaska, we have our Mountain Marathoners who can benefit from the blog's suggestions, too.
Topics: health, exercise, sleep test, runners, marathon
April fools! Today we’re hitting the snooze button on serious and prepping you for this trick-filled holiday. The only catch is you’ll need to get a good night’s sleep to pull off some of these gags.
Topics: sleep test, April, pranks
When it comes to parenting, there are few things as terrifying and heartbreaking as witnessing your child wake up screaming in fear in the middle of the night. What often makes things worse is that many parents are unsure of how they can help coax their child during this time. This uncertainty stems from being unaware of the difference between nightmares and night terrors as the two types of abrupt awakenings should be managed differently.
Here we hope to help dispel the confusion between the differences of night terrors vs nightmares and what you can do for your child in either event.
Topics: night terrors, nightmares, Pediatrics
"There are naive questions, tedious questions, ill-phrased questions, questions put after inadequate self-criticism. But every question is a cry to understand the world. There is no such thing as a dumb question." – Carl Sagan.
When it comes to proper treatment for any health condition, patient education is often the most crucial aspect in compliance with therapy. Patients that are uninformed about their disorder and treatment options are among the first to quickly abandon therapy. It's sad to see patients go through the process of exploring their symptoms, seeking diagnosis, and getting set-up with treatment, only to discontinue treatment after a short time. And one of the biggest factors for patients quitting treatment is a lack of quality education from medical professionals about the necessity of continued therapy.
Topics: CPAP compliance, CPAP
