Sleep-At Life, Sleep-In Bed, and Sleep-At The Wheel. 

This article is intended to be a 3 part series that weaves a variation of concepts regarding sleep

Sleep-In Bed

You’ve probably already heard, for best health it is recommended we get 7-8 hours of sleep. Did you know on average that equates to approximately one third of life. Many are going with less hours of sleep now have a culture that is non-stop and can live in a 24-7 world where proper bedtimes are just a faded dream. 

There are 4 stages of sleep that occur in approximately 90 minute cycles, easily named Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, and the famous REM is referred to as Stage 4. It is thought that Stage 3 sleep actually helps us feel more refreshed, and is known as “deep sleep”. This is the stage of sleep where it is hardest to wake someone up, and most often where “parasomnia” problems like sleep walking, sleep talking or night terrors occur. To get more Stage 3 refreshed sleep, exercise helps!

Recently, I got to learn from Sleep Specialty trained Dr. Talha Memon MD who practices locally. 

To find the right amount of sleep for you he recommends to take a weekend or vacation day, where you don’t need to wake up, and see when your body naturally wakes up without an alarm. Then assess the amount of hours you slept, and aim for that during the week. 

Here are a few facts about sleep: 

-Falling asleep can take up to 30 minutes normally

-Waking up 2x per night is normal

-50% of insomnia is thought to be mood related

-Exercise increases Stage 3 sleep

-Sleep Apnea effects men more often, but is very common in both genders, post-menopausal women are also more likely

-Basketball player Lebron James gets about 9-10 hours of sleep

-Both sleep deficiency and sleep excess are not good for your body

-Home sleep apnea tests may not be as reliable, as approximately 30% will have a false negative

-Sleep apnea alters our sugar metabolism and is associated with Type 2 Diabetes

-Sleep apnea also contributes to high blood pressure and high cholesterol

Take your sleep seriously, it is a critical component of good health. If you suffer from fatigue, snoring, or have any health problems , talk to your doctor about getting a sleep study.

Remember, sacrificing your sleep is putting you at risk, in more ways than mentioned here, to be continued on Part 3 Sleep-At the Wheel