Posts Tagged ‘sleep apnea’
The Danger of Sleep Deprivation
Not getting enough sleep can have a definite impact on your life. Whether it’s from insomnia, sleep apnea, Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), or another sleep disorder, the danger of sleep deprivation is undeniable, manifesting in both minor and major ways and creating problems for your work, school, and day-to-day activities.
Your body requires a certain amount of sleep in order to function properly and if it doesn’t get enough, it will naturally try to find ways to reconcile the problem. For many, a solution isn’t always easy to find.
Many people don’t even recognize they have a problem to begin with, failing to note the subtle symptoms and then, not taking the time to investigate the possible causes. If your body doesn’t get a sufficient amount of sleep, the effects can begin with fatigue and overall drowsiness.
You may feel tired during the day, which could ultimately impact your physical and mental health. For older people, sleep deprivation typically means that restorative sleep is lacking so their bodies aren’t recharging properly for the next day. This pattern accumulates until it becomes a true medical condition that requires attention.
Another physical effect that a lack of sleep can result in is weight change – in particular, weight gain. One of the benefits of quality sleep is that your hormone levels are regulated.
But if you suffer from sleep deprivation, then your hormone levels grow to be imbalanced and as a result, some of your psychological processes – such as appetite – also change. You may feel hungry when you’re not – or in some cases, not full when you are.
Chronic sleeplessness can also lead to depression, irritability, and impatience. Unfortunately, emotional frustration is one symptom that people may feel they don’t need to address.
Some may even fail to see how their mood swings and emotional outbursts or breakdowns are linked to sleep, choosing to assign the blame elsewhere and focusing attention away from the real cause: a lack of sleep.
The dangers of sleep deprivation to one’s physical and emotional well-being range from slurred speech and anger to a slow breakdown of the body’s immune system, making you susceptible to injury, the common cold, and more.
Have you ever driven your car while drowsy? The inherent danger is obvious. And while it may be a dramatic example, it’s also one that’s all too common – a powerful illustration of how important it is to get enough sleep.
Proper sleep is a vital component to being healthy and it needs to be treated with the same concern and care that your other healthcare issues receive. The consequences of ignoring your sleep deprivation could be harmful to yourself or another person, depending on the circumstances.
The End Tiredness Program is a step-by-step guide to eliminating tiredness from your life. It will show you…
- how you can make your sleep more effective
- what you should and shouldn’t eat if you want to feel energetic and alert during the day
- which hormone determines whether you feel alert or tired and how you can control the level of that hormone in your body
- proven methods that will help you to wake up easily every morning
- and plenty more…
The End Tiredness Program is written by a health researcher and consultant Tina Hagen. Find out more about how the program can help you get rid of fatigue
and be more energetic…
Sleep Apnea Is More Than a Snoring Problem
Sleeping near a person who snores can seriously interrupt sleep. “If only the snoring would stop,” you think. Then it does. Peaceful as it is, that’s not always a healthy sign. Snoring is related to a condition known as sleep apnea.
If you have sleep apnea, your nighttime breathing is interrupted and doesn’t return promptly. Sleep apnea can be a life threatening condition. The airflow into your body is delayed by more than 10 seconds.
That may not sound like much, but it’s a serious situation. This breathing interruption can happen up to five times in an hour during sleep. If you snore loudly and nightly, you’re at higher risk for sleep apnea than the occasional snorer.
Other signs of sleep apnea are episodes of daytime fatigue and emotional distress or skill deficits when you’re tired. Sleep apnea seems to start most often in middle age and afflicts more men than women.
Risk factors for sleep apnea are:
1. Overweight by more than 120% of your appropriate body weight
2. Large neck girth. That’s determined by using a tape measure. The danger level is 17” or greater for men and 16” or greater for women.
3. Hypertension whether treated or untreated by medication
4. Narrow nasal passages
A medically supervised sleep study is needed to diagnose sleep apnea. A home monitor can be used for children as well as adults to monitor breathing interruptions. You have a number of options for treating sleep apnea.
You can be fitted for a dental appliance, an orthodontia device that you wear at night. Basically this appliance changes the tongue placement so that the airway is clear for breathing.
Losing weight is also important to moderating sleep apnea. Along with losing weight, you need to be in an exercise program. Many people report that their sleep apnea completely disappears once they lose weight and get back to a normal, healthy range.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) masks are worn over the nose and mouth to force air into the nasal passages in a continuous flow. This may not be the most comfortable way to sleep, but it has been highly effective and most people get used to the machine and rely on it to deliver a good night’s sleep.
If all else fails, there are surgical procedures such as widening the palate, restructuring nasal cavities or taking out the tonsils to aid in a sleep apnea disorder. Make sure you don’t ignore your snoring and mistake it as something harmless because if it’s sleep apnea, you’re putting your life at risk!
What Are the Best Sleep Aids on the Market?
Not getting enough sleep can be detrimental on both your mental and physical well being. At the very least, you’ll feel cranky or like you’re in a cloud when you don’t get enough sleep.
At its worst, a loss f sleep can begin impairing your physical health. A lack of sleep has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, depression, obesity, and even cancer! If you want to stay healthy, you’ll get plenty of rest.
But what if it doesn’t come that easy for you? What if you craw into bed by 8 o’clock and can’t drift off to dreamland until five hours later? That happens to many men and women, and if you’re one of them, you might want to seek out the best sleeping aids on the market, which are:
- Sleep Apnea Masks – if you find you’re snoring and gasping for breath as you stop breathing during the night, a sleep apnea mask might be the cure for you. These masks force air through your airways, helping you get a good night’s rest, but also potentially saving your life.
- Sleep Mattresses – it might just be a better mattress that you need. Is yours old or outdated? Is it too firm or not firm enough? You might want to invest in a mattress that can help cradle you into a slumber.
- Sleep Medication – there are a variety of prescribed and over the counter sleeping aids in medicinal form that might help you fall asleep (and stay there) for a full night’s duration. Start with an over the counter version and if that’s not effective, ask your doctor what prescriptions might be available to help you.
- Sleeping Hypnosis Aids – hypnosis is used to treat all sorts of disorders, including insomnia. You’re not put into a trance where you’re out of control, but you do learn how to relax into a state of peace and rest. There are all sorts of do it yourself hypnosis for sleep products on the market if you’d prefer not to see a professional.
- Sleeping Herbal Solutions – there are many herbs that are known to promote rest and relaxation. It may be as simple as having lavender vapors surrounding you as you try to get into a deep sleep.
Getting a good night’s rest is important for you to achieve today. Don’t put this off until your brain is in a cloudlike fog where you’re not thinking clearly enough to make informed decisions about what treatment is best for you – take it into your hands today and test the various methods mentioned above to see what works best for you.
I suggest that you take two minutes to answer the quiz at this site. It will help you get clearer about the biggest mistakes you may be making right now, and right after submitting your answers you’ll get a detailed analysis along with helpful suggestions.
Head over to take your quiz now!

