ADULT SLEEP

Last week was teenager sleep patterns and issues. This week we start a conversation about how our sleep needs and potential issues as adults.

We all do better when we get good quality sleep. For some people though, sleep quality is consistently poor. There are many folks out there who “get by”, but are not functioning at full capacity due to poor sleep. Many of them think they sleep fine, but they don’t.

Insomnia, difficulty with falling asleep or staying asleep for more than 3 nights a week, is the most common sleep disorder. Sleep “hygiene” improvement, along with cognitive behavior therapy, is the first course of action to treat this problem.

There are many reasons for poor quality sleep. Some are easier to control than others.  Everything from a poor mattress, poor pillow, sleep position, medical issues, diet, alcohol consumption, and work schedule can have an impact on the quality of sleep that we get. Although some people can notice subtle changes in sleep quality, many others do not realize that some of the issues they have routinely can be caused from poor sleep quality.

Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout our lives. The way you feel while you’re awake depends in part on what happens while you’re sleeping.

Sleep helps your brain work properly. Studies show that a good night’s sleep improves learning. Studies also show that sleep deficiency may cause you to have trouble making decisions, solving problems, controlling your emotions and behavior, and coping with change.

Sleep plays an important role in your physical health. For example, sleep is involved in healing and repair of your heart and blood vessels. Ongoing sleep deficiency is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, sexual dysfunction, ADHD, obesity and depression.

Sleep issues can affect the young, the old and everyone in between. The many changes that take place in our bodies as we age can increase the risk of sleep disorders.

Sleep apnea is another common sleep disorder. It is a serious, potentially life-threatening sleep disorder that affects approximately 18 million Americans. It comes from the Greek meaning of apnea which means “want of breath”. People with sleep apnea have episodes in which they stop breathing for 10 seconds or more during sleep.

People with sleep apnea do not remember these episodes during the night, unless they awake to a gasp. Some of the potential problems may include morning headaches, excessive daytime sleepiness, irritability and impaired mental or emotional functioning, excessive snoring, choking/gasping during sleep, insomnia, or awakening with a dry mouth or throat.

Some simple questions to ask yourself are: Have you been told that you snore?

Do you often feel tired, fatigued, or sleepy during the daytime?

Has anyone ever told you that you stop breathing while you were asleep – or- Have you ever woken yourself up with a gasp?

Do you take more than one medication to control high blood pressure?

Are you a mouth breather? Do you need to use the bathroom multiple times at night?

Is your body mass index greater than 28?

If you answered yes to more than two of these questions, or if there is anything else in this column that makes you believe you may not be getting the quality of sleep you would like, please discuss these with your physician.

Dr. St. Clair maintains a private dental practice in Rowley dedicated to health-centered family dentistry. He has a special interest in treating snoring, sleep apnea and TMJ problems. If there are certain topics you would like to see written about or questions you have please email them to him at jpstclair@stclairdmd.com