A Good Nights Sleep

To enjoy a happy, healthy life you must get enough quality sleep. Most people will need 7-10 hours of undisturbed sleep each night if they want to stay alert and enjoy a full day of activity.

Unfortunately not everyone always enjoys the sleep they need. Disturbed sleep, or a lack of sleep can cause serious problems, not only for the person who can't sleep but often for their sleeping partner as well.

Sometimes sleeping problems can indicate serious medical conditions. It is important that you discuss sleeping problems with your doctor if they last for more than a couple of days. We provide here some basic information on some of the more common sleeping problems and sleep disorders.

Sleep Disorders

Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea is typically accompanied by loud snoring, People who suffer from Sleep Apnea stop breathing periodically while asleep.

There are two types of Sleep Apnea, the most common being obstructive sleep apnea; as the name suggests this is due to an obstruction in the throat during sleep. Bed partners will notice pauses of approximately 10 to 60 seconds between loud snores.

The obstruction is usually due to a narrowing of the upper airway and is often due to being over weight, or sometimes alcohol consumption before sleep.

Central Sleep Apnea happens when the brain doesn’t tell the body to breath . With both types of apnea you must wake up briefly to breathe, sometimes more than a hundred times during the night. Usually there is no memory of these awakenings, but often you will feel tired.

Sleep Apnea Symptoms

- Loud Snoring
- Waking up tired & feeling tired during the day
- Waking up with a headache
- Waking up with the sensation of choking
- Waking up in a sweat

Snoring

Snoring happens when a person can't move air freely through his or her nose and mouth during sleep. The noisy sounds of snoring occur when the collapsible part of the airway where the tongue and upper throat meet the soft palate and uvula vibrate.

Help for the Light Snorer
Try the following self-help remedies to ease your snoring:
Adopt a healthy and athletic lifestyle to develop muscle tone and lose weight. Avoid antihistamines before bedtime.
Avoid alcohol and heavy meals or snacks for three hours before going to bed. Try to sleep on your side rather than your back and tilt the head of your bed upwards four inches or so.

Restless Legs

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a discomfort in the legs which is often experienced while lying in bed trying to go to sleep. The feeling is difficult to describe and is also sometimes experienced when riding in a car, watching TV, reading or sitting in a theatre.

You can usually relieve the symptoms by getting up and walking around, taking a hot shower or bath, or stimulating the legs with rubbing or massage.

Insomnia

Insomnia covers many different problems
Difficulty falling asleep
Falling asleep but difficulty staying asleep long enough to feel refreshed.
Waking up too early

There are three basic types of Insomnia:
- Transient insomnia - lasting for a few nights
- Short-term insomnia – up to a month of poor sleep
- Chronic insomnia – problems sleeping most nights and last more than a month.

Transient and short-term insomnia often occurs when a person is temporarily stressed, or experiencing changed environmental conditions such as noise or temperature. Changes in shift work rosters, international travel (jet lag) or medication can all cause sleeping problems.

Chronic insomnia is more complex and may result from a combination of environmental, physical or psychological factors.

Chronic insomnia may be due to the use of caffeine, alcohol, or other substances including prescribed medication. If insomnia is effecting your quality of life, talk to your doctor, a sleep specialist may be needed.

Enjoy Better Sleep

Is your bedroom a good place to sleep? Your sleep environment serves as the basis for a good nights sleep. Noise, light, an uncomfortable or worn-out mattress and foundation or a room that's too warm or too cold can set you up for poor sleep.

The four factors of the sleep environment:

• MATTRESS AND FOUNDATION
  Be sure your mattress and foundation meet your needs for ideal support and comfort. If you sleep with a partner, your mattress should allow you both enough space to move easily during the night.
• LIGHT
  Light is one of our body's most powerful time cues. The rising sun can stimulate the brain into wakefulness long before the alarm goes off. A dark room is the most conducive for sleep, day or night.
• NOISE
  Sudden, loud noises from inside or outside the home can disrupt sleep. Steady, low sounds like the whir of a fan or air conditioner are soothing because they help block out other noises.
• TEMPERATURE
  The ideal bedroom temperature is 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit or 16 to 18 degrees Celsius. A room that's too hot or too cold can disturb your sleep.

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