Tag Archives: restless leg syndrome

Sleep is More Important than You Know

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When you begin to understand the benefits of getting a good night’s sleep, you can then begin to know when you’re sleeping well and when you’re not. You become more aware of your sleep habits, your body’s needs and the effects of

How many hours of sleep do we need?

See how many hours of sleep do you need based on your age.

not sleeping enough. In fact, in studies of humans and other animals, they have discovered that sleep plays a critical role in immune function, metabolism, memory, learning, and other vital functions.

It may seem somewhat obvious to you that sleep is beneficial. No one will argue with that. Even without fully grasping what sleep does for us, we know that going without sleep for too long makes us feel terrible, and that getting a good night’s sleep can make us feel ready to take on the world.

Are you getting enough sleep? And how much sleep is enough sleep? Does it vary by age? The answer is that many of us are not getting enough sleep for whatever reason. Sleep loss and even poor-quality sleep can lead to an increase in errors at the workplace, decreased productivity, mood changes and negative effects on your relationships. To know just how much sleep you truly need, we have a graphic which will break it down for you – How Much Sleep Do You Need. Adults need 7.5-9 hours of sleep each night and this is below what many of us actually get. Teens require 8.5-10 hours each night and we know this is probably not the case for the majority, especially with the temptation of technology and social media.

What happens if you try to sleep, but you cannot? That is where we come in. We can start by doing a sleep test and diagnosing why it is that you are not sleeping enough. Asking us why you cannot sleep is the first step in fixing the problem. There are many reasons that you may not be sleeping enough, some of which include too late caffeine consumption, sleep apnea, Restless Leg Syndrome and many more.

So you know you are not getting enough sleep, but what effect is being had on your daily life? Well, in the short term, a lack of adequate sleep can affect judgment, mood, ability to learn and retain information, and may increase the risk of serious accidents and injury. In the long term, chronic sleep deprivation may lead to a host of health problems including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even early mortality.

Awareness can help you improve your sleep habits and in turn your safety. If you or someone you know is not getting the amount of sleep recommended by the graphic, we encourage you to come visit our sleep center and learn more about what we can do together to improve the amount and the quality of your sleep. Life is exhausting enough without getting too little sleep. Sleep more and live better with a little help from our doctors and staff.

Warning! You Could be Suffering From a Sleep Disorder

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Do you go through the day feeling unrested or groggy, even after a full night’s sleep? Are you constantly relying on caffeine or energy drinks to make it through the day? Do you have trouble staying awake during sedentary activities like watching TV, sitting down to read or riding in a vehicle? Don’t just write these symptoms off as stress or an uncomfortable mattress. A sleep assessment or a sleep study can help you and your doctor determine if you have an underlying sleep disorder that is causing your tiredness.

We all have days where we feel like we are dragging; maybe we stayed up too late or had to get up too early, however those days should be the exception to the rule – not the norm. It is estimated that over 40 million people in the United States suffer from some sort of sleep disorder and often don’t even realize it.

When our bodies are sleep deprived due to a chronic sleep disorder, they can’t function properly. It doesn’t take long before we start noticing the effects; depression, lack of mental acuity, weight gain and impaired judgment are just a few problems attributed to sleep deprivation. Sleep disorders also put you at risk for some more serious complications such as heart disease, heart attack, heart failure, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, stroke and diabetes.

The most common sleep disorder is sleep apnea, currently affecting more than 18 million people here in the US. It is not the only type of sleep disorder however; insomnia, restless leg syndrome, narcolepsy and sleepwalking round out the top five. There are actually more than 85 different types of sleep disorders, ranging from mild to life threatening, which makes being properly screened critical to developing a correct diagnosis and an effective treatment plan.

If you or a loved one think you might be suffering from a sleep disorder, take a minute to fill out our online assessment. Early detection and treatment of sleep disorders have been associated with significant improvements in emotional, psychological and physical wellbeing. Even a mild decrease in the quality of your sleep can considerably impact your life, so don’t wait to be tested and treated!