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May is Better Sleep Month
Sleep is a basic necessity of life, as important to our health and well-being as air, food and water. When we sleep well, we wake up feeling refreshed, alert and ready to face daily challenges. When we don't, it can negatively influence our jobs, relationships, productivity, health and safety.
The Better Sleep Council has designated the month of May as being Better Sleep Month. The BSC was established in 1979 and is a non-profit organization that is devoted to educating the public about the importance of sleep to good health.
Many things can cause sleep deprivation including sleep disorders such as insomnia, narcolepsy and obstructive sleep apnea. Insomnia is the most common sleep problem in America; insomnia is the inability to fall asleep or to remain asleep. People with narcolepsy have a neurlogic disorder caused by the brains inability to regulate sleep-wake cycles normally. Those with sleep apnea literally stop breathing throughout the night. As a person with obstructive sleep apnea falls asleep, muscles in the upper airway relax to a point where the airway becomes obstructed. This causes breathing to stop which eventually awakens the sleeper. Other causes of sleep loss are poor sleep habits, an uncomfortable environment, and stress.
If you suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, there are treatments. The Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine is usually administered at bedtime through a nasal or facial mask. The mask is connected by a tube to a small air compressor about the size of a shoebox. The CPAP machine sends air pressure through the tube into the mask, where it keeps the upper airway open and keeps it from collapsing. The advantages of a CPAP are that it is very safe and completely reliable. Another option is the Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure (BIPAP) which is a variation of the CPAP machine. Bi-level machines eliminate some of the problems patients have with the CPAP because it will sense when the patient is inhaling or exhaling and will reduce its pressure for exhaling. This will allow the patient to exhale more easily.
For a better night's sleep, follow these recommendations:
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Sleep is a basic necessity of life, as important to our health and well-being as air, food and water. When we sleep well, we wake up feeling refreshed, alert and ready to face daily challenges. When we don't, it can negatively influence our jobs, relationships, productivity, health and safety.
The Better Sleep Council has designated the month of May as being Better Sleep Month. The BSC was established in 1979 and is a non-profit organization that is devoted to educating the public about the importance of sleep to good health.
Many things can cause sleep deprivation including sleep disorders such as insomnia, narcolepsy and obstructive sleep apnea. Insomnia is the most common sleep problem in America; insomnia is the inability to fall asleep or to remain asleep. People with narcolepsy have a neurlogic disorder caused by the brains inability to regulate sleep-wake cycles normally. Those with sleep apnea literally stop breathing throughout the night. As a person with obstructive sleep apnea falls asleep, muscles in the upper airway relax to a point where the airway becomes obstructed. This causes breathing to stop which eventually awakens the sleeper. Other causes of sleep loss are poor sleep habits, an uncomfortable environment, and stress.
If you suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, there are treatments. The Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine is usually administered at bedtime through a nasal or facial mask. The mask is connected by a tube to a small air compressor about the size of a shoebox. The CPAP machine sends air pressure through the tube into the mask, where it keeps the upper airway open and keeps it from collapsing. The advantages of a CPAP are that it is very safe and completely reliable. Another option is the Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure (BIPAP) which is a variation of the CPAP machine. Bi-level machines eliminate some of the problems patients have with the CPAP because it will sense when the patient is inhaling or exhaling and will reduce its pressure for exhaling. This will allow the patient to exhale more easily.
For a better night's sleep, follow these recommendations:
- Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol in the evening.
Exercise regularly at least three hours before bedtime.
- If you have trouble sleeping at night, don't take a nap during the day.
- Create your sleep environment to be as pleasant, comfortable, dark and quiet as possible.
- Establish a regular routine that will allow you to unwind.