What your brain does while you're catching zzz's each night?

Are you getting enough sleep? Today, in an effort to better understand the role of sleep in our lives, I ask a very basic question: What happens when our heads hit the pillow at night?

Topics: trouble sleeping, apnea, napping, circadian rhythm, sleep hygiene

For thousands of years, the longest day of the year has been celebrated by people around the world as the summer solstice or Midsummer. This year, the sunny cause for revelry falls on June 21^st in the Northern Hemisphere, and is recognized as the unofficial start to our hottest season, even though outdoor temperature gauges around the country have been telling us the heat is already well under way.

Topics: circadian rhythm, sleep habits, summer

Early to bed early to rise or night owl: which camp do you reside in? Each could have potential negative and positive effects on your body depending on your own sleep cycle. Today we will look at the positives and negatives of the night owl along with ways to convert over to an early bird.

Topics: insomnia, circadian rhythm, delayed sleep phase

Despite looking forward to the holiday season, many people emerge from the holidays feeling the effects on their physical and emotional well-being. Often, disrupted sleep is the culprit.

Topics: holiday, circadian rhythm

Chapter 11

Prevention

 

Really, the best way to prevent sleep deprivation is to practice good sleep hygiene, something we have talked about a few times before. Here are the basic steps you can take in order to attain a good standard of sleep hygiene and end up with a good rest:

• Go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day
• Shut off devices and do soothing things an hour before bed
• Make sure your bedroom is dark and cool
• Avoid caffeine at least five hours before bed, same with alcohol
• Don’t eat for at least three hours before bed
• Try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day to boost mental and physical tiredness

It’s actually very quick and simple, making it easy for anyone to follow. Of course, it can be hard to get into the swing of things, so take some time to really work on a routine and getting your sleep hygiene just right.

The issue is, sleep deprivation is often linked to serious accidents, as well as poor job and school performance – lowering a person’s quality of life substantially. It disrupts the brain’s ability to balance emotions and the ability to think, lowering your natural defenses, and increasing your chances of developing chronic medical conditions.

Of course, the occasional poor night of sleep won’t cause you much harm, but it will if it becomes a persistent problem. After all, there is no substitute for restorative sleep, and so care should be taking to prevent ongoing sleep deprivation regardless of age.

To Conclude

Hopefully, this has helped you to better understand the world of sleep deprivation, how it is caused, and the ways in which it can be treated. It is amazing how negatively you can be impacted by a lack of sleep, and the number of health conditions that can be caused by consistently missing out should be enough to make sure you get started on paying back your sleep debt. After all, it is your health and well-being on the line.

If you live in Alaska and have chronic sleep deprivation, call us today and sign up for Alaska Sleep Clinic's blog.

Topics: sleep deprivation, circadian rhythm, sleep hygiene, medication