Getting adequate sleep is as essential as eating a healthy diet and doing regular exercise. Sleep deprivation can have a negative impact on brain function, hormones, and physical performance. It can also increase the risk of diseases, such as heart illness and diabetes.
Topics: sleep hygiene, remedies, meditation
A lot of products promise you a better night sleep. A comfortable pillow, the correct mattress, a zen bedroom, or an unplugged nightstand are a few simple solutions. But natural and medical interventions may be the right options to ease your body to better sleeping habits.
Topics: medication, remedies
Back pain is a very common cause of sleep disorders. That uncomfortable feeling expands from the back throughout the entire body. You go through the day because you have to, but when it’s time for sleep, you feel like the pain is getting more serious by the minute.
Topics: losing sleep, pain, wellness, remedies, bedroom, backpain
The Comprehensive Guide to Sleep Deprivation: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment - Yoo Health
If you are using sleep aids, as prescribed by your doctor, it is important that you know how to use them safely so that you can take any necessary precautions when treating your sleep deprivation.
You must first consult with your doctor about which sleep deprivation medications to use, the correct dosage, and the best treatment plan for you. At this point, a number of factors will be taken into account, including:
This information is an essential part of learning how to use your sleep medication properly and responsibly.
You should also make sure that you do not grow to rely on sleep aids forever, and the majority of doctors will agree that they are not supposed to be used permanently.
Instead, it is up to you and your doctor to figure out long you should take the sleep aid for, and other potential treatments (like CBT) that might be able to help you get back into a good sleeping routine.
While there are some over the counter sleep aids that might help you in the short-term, it is important to remember that they are not supposed to be used for prolonged periods of time, or to fix insomnia.
You should also make sure you follow the safety guidelines on all medication you receive, and that you read the packaging carefully so that you understand potential risks and side-effects. You can also talk to your doctor about any precautions you need to take, especially if they are related to your personal health.
Tomorrow, come back here for Chapter 8: Diagnosis of Sleep Deprivation and sign up for Alaska Sleep Clinic's blog.
Topics: treatment, sleep deprivation, circadian rhythm, remedies
As we have already discussed, sleep specialists state that the most tell-tale sign of sleep deprivation is feeling drowsy during the day. Even if a task is very uninteresting, you should be able to stay alert if you are not sleep deprived. If you fall asleep within five minutes of lying down, you are likely to have very severe sleep deprivation.
Those who have sleep deprivation also tend to suffer from micro-sleep, a brief period of sleep experienced during waking time. A person is rarely aware that they have experienced micro-sleep and will simply view it as a few lost seconds. If you are driving while fatigued, you may not remember how you got to your destination. This is an example of micro-sleep.
There are occasions it is a more serious, even life-threatening, sleep disorder like sleep apnea. If this is even a possibility, a sleep specialist may decide to conduct a sleep study to monitor your breathing, heart rate, and other vital signs over the course of the night. It also provides an excellent amount of information to help diagnose and treat your underlying conditions.
For the diagnosis process to begin, your doctor will perform a physical exam, including asking you for symptoms so that they can match them up with the ones we have already discussed. We’ve already mentioned much of the diagnosis process, and here are some of the tests your doctor might order:
Polysomnogram: a sleep study that evaluates oxygen levels, body movements, and brain waves to determine how they disrupt sleep.
Electroencephalogram: a test that assesses electrical activity in the brain and detects any potential problems associated with this activity.
Genetic blood testing: a blood test commonly used to diagnose narcolepsy and other underlying health conditions that might be causing sleep apnea.
If you believe you or a loved one is suffering through sleep apnea, call Alaska Sleep Clinic today to speak with one of our board-certified sleep specialists for your free sleep evaluation.
Tomorrow, come back here for Chapter 9: Complications of Sleep Deprivation and sign up for Alaska Sleep Clinic's blog.
Topics: home sleep test, treatment, sleep deprivation, circadian rhythm, cpap mas, remedies
