Sleep Dunwoody Blog

When you’re feeling sluggish, the first thought is often “Looks like I need to go to bed early tonight.” And while more sleep is always a good thing, a study recently published by the University of Sydney challenges the assumption that the amount of hours spent asleep is the sole determiner in how rested you feel.

Sleep plays a vital role in mental and physical health. Most of us know that getting too little sleep is bad — after a night of poor rest, we feel how sleep deprivation affects our mood and performance the next day. And there is plenty of research out there to back this up, with the general consensus being that the optimal amount of sleep is 7-8 hours. The preliminary results from the world’s largest sleep study fall in line with previous research results, but with a surprising twist: that sleeping more than 7-8 hours is just as harmful as sleeping less than that time. How are those who get less than or more than 7-8 hours of sleep affected?

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Not only does sleep apnea rob millions of Americans of quality rest every single night, but it can also lead to a variety of serious health problems if left untreated, including high blood pressure, stroke, heart failure, diabetes, depression, and frequent headaches. Basically, sleep apnea can be a BIG problem by itself but left untreated, it also leads to many other serious concerns. In fact, a recent study just revealed a strong connection between sleep apnea and eye problems related to diabetes. 

We often demonize cell phones in the world of sleep because 1) they emit blue light, which has been proven to impair sleep when used excessively or at night, and 2) they tend to serve as a pre-bedtime distraction that eats into a night’s sleep. Despite these valid concerns, certain phone features can actually help you get a better night’s rest. Take a look at these sleep tips to learn how your phone can actually benefit your zzzz’s. 

Have you started thinking yet about your 2020 New Year’s Resolution? Is it centered around your health, or maybe your work or relationships? What about getting better sleep? It may not be the most popular or obvious resolution, but it’s the one that can make the most difference in terms of positively affecting multiple areas of your life.

Below, we talk about all the physical, mental and emotional benefits that sleep has to offer. You might be surprised at how much a little extra shut eye can improve your day-to-day life.

Sticking to a regular sleep schedule can be very difficult during the holidays, thanks to the many potentially sleep-disrupting things which are often oh-so-present during the season — travel, temptations to stay up late catching up with family members, irregular diets, and more. Yet, tempting though it can be to allow any of these distractions to upend your healthy habits during the holiday months, it’s just not worth it. Your wellbeing is too important!

According to a study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, air pollution may increase the risk factor of sleep-disordered breathing. It is important to consider air quality both indoors and outdoors when it comes to treatments that may help those with sleep apnea. Turns out, certain indoor plants may provide a simple way to surround yourself with cleaner air and breathe easier.

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Receiving enough sleep on a regular basis is essential for proper mental and physical health. But easier said than done, right?! If you tend to struggle with achieving enough rest, you might be all too familiar with the various sleep aids on the market. 

The habits you do (or don’t) implement throughout the day have a big impact on your sleep quality at night. You may never have considered how these collective “sleep hygiene” habits affect your sleep, but now’s the time to start. Good sleep is critically important for your health and overall quality of life.

Everyone has a preferred sleeping position — maybe yours is curled up like a baby, over on your belly, or straight on your back. But have you considered how your snoozing habit could impact the quality of your sleep? It’s especially important to think about how you lie if you have sleep apnea. Consider the pros and cons of each sleeping position.