Julian Center

Sleep Myth: Teenagers are Lazy and Love Lying in Bed –

A lot of people view sleep as “downtime” where the body can rest and rejuvenate after a long day. Sleep is important in maintaining the quality of your life, and your mental and physical health. Unfortunately, sleep is a subject that many people mistakenly believe they know a lot about.

Various stories, theories, and myths surround sleep. People believe these myths and use them as the basis for their sleeping habits. One popular myth, in particular, is that teenagers are lazy and they love lying in bed.

Do you believe that teens are just plain lazy? Let’s find out.

The Myth

Do you have a teenager in your family? If yes, there is a good chance that you have witnessed their struggle to leave the comforts of their bed. A common perception is that all teenagers are unmotivated, lazy, and moody when it comes to waking up and getting out of bed in the morning.

The Fact

Research shows that there are real biological factors to explain the behavior of teenagers. There is scientific evidence that there’s a delay in a teen’s natural sleep rhythm due to hormonal changes which occur during puberty.

A self-report study conducted at Harvard School of Public Health of almost 54,000 people found that ideal sleeping and rising times for teenagers was 1 1/2 hours later than for adults. A teenager’s natural tendency is to go to bed at a later time and get up later too. Teenagers also need to sleep at least eight to ten hours every night, compared with seven to nine hours for adults. Sleep is important for adolescents because while they are sleeping, they release hormones that are essential for growth. However, most of them are getting less than what they need.

In addition, there’s a difference in the schedule of melatonin production between adults and teens. Adults start to produce melatonin at about 10 PM while teenagers only begin to produce them at 1 AM. The delay in the production of melatonin may be one of the reasons for this late-night behavior in adolescents.

Verdict

It is true that teenagers love staying up late and lying in bed in the morning. However, there is a reason behind it. Because of hormonal changes and delayed body clock, they go to bed late and wake up late. However, most teenagers are sleep deprived. Their lack of shuteye causes them to be impulsive, moody, and depressed at times. If you have a teenager at home if at all possible let them stay in bed. The extra time in bed will be good for them.

Sleep Myth: Seniors Sleep Less –

Sleep is a natural and essential part of people’s lives. It is considered a period of rest to conserve energy. It is also a subject that people think they know a lot about.

Plenty of myths surround sleep. These myths continue because they appeal to common sense or practices that have prevailed for multiple generations. As a result, many people believe these myths with firm conviction. One, in particular, is the idea that seniors sleep less.

Do you think seniors sleep less? Let’s find out.

The Myth

How much sleep do you need as an adult? A common belief is that the younger you are, the longer your sleep should be, and the older you are, the less shuteye you need.

The Fact

As you age, it becomes more challenging for you to get the same amount of sleep. You will probably experience fragmented sleep patterns as you age. This results in sleeping lighter and waking up more often. Many seniors sleep earlier in the evening and wake up earlier in the morning.

A study may shed light on the belief that seniors get fewer hours of sleep. A lot of older people often have trouble falling asleep. 13% of men and 36% of women aged 65 years old and above take more than 30 minutes to fall asleep. As people age, the body produces lesser amounts of melatonin, the hormone needed to promote sleep.

Since older people sleep less deeply and wake up more often during the night, they tend to take more naps during the day. In essence, seniors, more or less, get the same sleep as younger adults.

Verdict

The idea that seniors sleep less is untrue. Various reasons cause inadequate shuteye for seniors, but they catch up on sleep during the day. They need the same 7 -9 hours of sleep as other adults.

Sleep Myth: Sleeping Pills are Harmless –

Sleep is an important part of everyone’s life. The three pillars of a healthy and happy life are exercise, nutrition, and sleep. However, there are different myths and stories surrounding sleep.

The stories that people believe are the ones that affirm their view of the world, whether they are true or not. One of these famous myths is that sleeping pills are harmless.

Do you think sleeping pills are safe? Let’s find out.

The Myth

Sleeping pills were once one of the most commonly prescribed drugs. The prevalence of sleep disorders and accessibility of the sleeping pills made people think that they are harmless. One pill is all it takes to get a restful sleep. In 2010, about 10% of the population in the United States received prescriptions to “cure” their sleep disorders.

The Fact

A large-scale study invited doctors to rethink that medication can cure sleep disorders. Although pills treated insomnia in the short term, the side effect was dependence. Paradoxically, the long-term effect creates further sleep disorders.

There were 60 million prescriptions for sleeping pills made between the years 2006 and 2011.

With the widespread accessibility, plus the perceived blessing from many medical professionals, many people fall prey to these sleep medicines. Addiction probably was the last thing on their mind. Unfortunately, there are those who found themselves unable to sleep without the help of a sleeping pill.

Your body gets accustomed to the drug if you consume it on a regular basis. You need to get higher doses for your body to get the same effects.

If you take a higher dosage, this could lead to depressed breathing while you are sleeping, which can ultimately cause death. A 2012 study also found that any “hypnotic” (sleeping pill) prescription had more than a 300% increase in death rates, including cancer.

Verdict

Taking sleeping pills might help people with insomnia to sleep better, but its effects are only short-term. The myth that sleeping pills are harmless is not inaccurate. They are not a long-term solution. In fact, they can be lethal even at doses of less than 18 pills a year.

Sleep Myth: Daytime Naps Are a Waste of Time –

Sleep and your well-being go hand in hand. Your overall health is linked to having a good night’s sleep. Your body is like a factory. As you sleep, your body begins to work and heal all the damaged cells as well as boost your immune system.

There are a lot of myths and theories surrounding sleep. Some sleep myths have been passed on from one generation to the next. As a result, people find it challenging to modify their beliefs, even if scientists and researchers say otherwise. One of the most common sleep myths is that daytime naps are a waste of time.

The Myth

In western society, taking a nap is viewed in a negative light. At work, if you are caught napping by a colleague, they may think that you are lazy and you’re not doing your job right. So to perk up, you will drink a cup of strong coffee or light a cigarette. Some even believe that naps can ruin your body’s natural sleep cycle.

The Facts

Napping deserves respect. Contrary to the idea that naps are for lazy people, there are famous nappers who were successful personalities such as Einstein, John F. Kennedy, Thomas Edison, and Sir Winston Churchill

Researchers are now finding the benefits of napping. It improves your performance in the workplace and even in your life. NASA showed that pilots who don’t have enough rest fall asleep five times more than those who took at least a 25-minute nap before starting their shift.

Another study from Harvard University revealed that, compared with non-sleeping subjects, taking a 60 to 90 minutes power nap instead of sleeping can help recharge your brain’s battery as much as 8 hours of sleep.

The groggy feeling that you have when you wake up after taking a nap is real. It is called sleep inertia. How you feel after a nap is determined by the length of your snooze. As recommended by sleep expert Michael J. Breus, Ph.D., you should nap no more than 30 minutes. Otherwise, you will enter a state of deep sleep and most probably feel the effects of sleep inertia upon waking.

Verdict

Daytime naps are not a waste of time. Instead of drinking a cup of coffee or tea to boost your energy, taking a nap helps you stay more energized. It also keeps you to be more productive. Take advantage of your break time at work. Take an afternoon nap in a well-rested area and feel recharged.

5 Surprising Ways Stress Affects Sleep –

Sleep is a vital function of the human body that is often taken for granted. It helps your brain recharge and your body to rest. However, when quality is poor, your body does not get the full benefits of sleep.

Research has shown that most Americans would feel healthier, happier, and safer if they were able to sleep an extra 60 to 90 minutes. The American Psychological Association’s 2014 Stress in America survey also shows that stress is interfering with sleep, preventing a lot of adults and teenagers from getting the sleep that they need to be healthy. Stress can come in different forms and can be present in many areas of your life. If left unchecked, stress can significantly affect sleep.

Stress Reduces Quality of Sleep

Stress lowers your shut-eye quality. The Stress in America survey showed that 42% of adults are getting only fair or poor quality of sleep when they are stressed.

Stress can also cause a type of dream known as a stress dream or anxiety dream. After experiencing a stressful dream, you may feel uneasy, distressed, and apprehensive upon waking up. They can also recur, which means you might probably have anxiety dreams as long as you remain stressed. As a result, stress builds up which further reduces the quality of your sleep.

Stress Increases Insomnia Risk

Those who suffer from stress are more susceptible to insomnia, a sleep disorder. Worries can keep your mind active at night, making it difficult to sleep.

Difficulty in sleeping is sometimes the first symptom of stress. A 1996 study found that 15 to 20 percent of people diagnosed with insomnia develop major depression. Consequently, it is harder for them to fall or stay asleep.

Stress prevents you from drifting off too. When you fall asleep, your body begins to switch from an active sympathetic nervous system to a calmer parasympathetic nervous system. However, this shift can get interrupted by stress. Whenever you are worried about something, your sympathetic nervous system will not shut down. Also, your brain will remain hyperactive, thus increasing your risk to develop insomnia.

Stress Creates a Vicious Cycle

Stress can be the catalyst in the vicious cycle of sleepless nights. If you lack sleep, you feel more stressed. If you feel more stressed, you have difficulty sleeping.

As a basic human need, not getting enough sleep can affect the way you function. You move slower and are less productive. Also, you have the tendency to make poor decisions, which could result in stressful situations. More stress during the day makes it difficult to get quality sleep at night. If not immediately addressed, the cycle may gather enough momentum to pose serious health concerns.

Stress Causes Different Diseases

Sleep is the time when your body, brain, and muscles rejuvenate. Your whole body enters the sleep architecture state. It occurs in ninety-minute cycles when you sleep to reconstruct the tissues and muscles in the body and detoxify the brain. However, when the body and brain cannot enter the state of sleep architecture, you lose sleep because of stress.

Excessive sleep loss due to stress is also linked to different health issues: Mood disorders, diabetes, heart diseases, and obesity. In fact, if stress deprives you of sleep long enough, you can develop paranoid delusions and hallucinations. These diseases may be exacerbated and cause fatal health problems if sleep deprivation due to stress continues.

Stress Creates Hormone Imbalances

If you do not get enough sleep due to stress, it can affect two hormones that help regulate the appetite. The levels of leptin, the hormone that makes you feel full, decrease. Meanwhile, the levels of ghrelin, the hormone that makes you feel hungry, increase. These changes can increase your appetite and eventually cause weight gain.

When people are sleep deprived, they also tend to overeat later in the day. A study shows that sleep-deprived people eat more calories after dinner than what they eat in a single meal. They also consume snacks that are high in saturated fats and carbohydrates. The body struggles to burn these additional calories if the person lacks sleep.

What is Bruxism and How Is It Related to Sleep Apnea?

Bruxism is a condition where the person suffers from teeth grinding and jaw clenching. The condition is widespread. One study suggests that as much as one-third of the population are bruxers.

Without proper treatment, you may suffer from worn down teeth, headaches, jaw aches, loose or cracked teeth, and receding gums. More importantly, bruxism can be a symptom of sleep apnea – a sleep disorder known as the new silent killer.

What is Bruxism?

In general terms, people with bruxism grind their teeth and clench their jaws. The condition is common among children and decreases with age. The disorder is lowest in people over 65.

There are two types of bruxism:

Awake Bruxism

While awake, grinding and clenching are mostly reactions to stress, concentration, or anger. Most often, this happens without awareness. Behavior modification can help control this condition. A dental splint can also be helpful.

Sleep Bruxism

People with sleep bruxism experience unconscious and nocturnal grinding and clenching. Bruxing usually occurs when the sleeper goes from a deeper to a lighter stage of sleep.

Repeating this pattern multiple times during the night results in fatigue, pain, and dysfunction of the jaw. Grinding can also lead to worn and broken teeth. Daytime anxiety, stress, smoking, heavy alcohol use, snoring, and sleep apnea may cause sleep bruxism, but we are not sure.

Since this is an unconscious pattern, behavior modification is not effective in treating it. The gold standard of treatment is a nighttime bite guard or splint. However, if sleep apnea is causing bruxism, there are new and successful treatments available. Also, psychological intervention can be helpful for stress management and habit control.

Is There a Connection between Bruxism and Sleep Apnea?

People with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) experience very shallow breathing or repeated interruptions in their breathing while asleep.

Such disrupted breathing tends to occur first during REM sleep. Over time, the condition grows more severe and may spread to deep non-REM sleep and then into light non-REM sleep.

This obstruction happens when the person’s airway collapses. As a survival response, the body compensates by clenching the jaw to provide better airflow. In addition to clenching, roughly 25 percent of obstructive sleep apnea sufferers grind their teeth at night.

OSA-related Bruxism and Cardiovascular Disease

Grinding and clenching may improve airflow but only up to a certain extent. The body is still not getting enough oxygen. If left untreated, oxygen deprivation can be a contributing factor to the development of cardiovascular disease.

Oxygen levels in the bloodstream plummet during an apnea episode. As a coping mechanism, the brain transmits signals to the nervous system to narrow the blood vessels. This narrowing helps increase oxygen flow to the brain and heart. As a result, the person suffers from high blood pressure while sleeping. In many cases, blood pressure rises by 20 percent.

OSA is a significant risk factor for increased blood pressure. Researchers discovered that those who have sleep apnea often suffer from high blood pressure all the time, not just at night. Increased blood pressure is a primary contributor to multiple cardiovascular diseases such as cardiac arrest and stroke.

Research by the National Sleep Foundation revealed that men suffering from severe OSA were more likely to develop congestive heart failure by 58 percent compared to men without OSA. The same study measured the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) or the number of apnea and hypopnea episodes per hour of sleep of men aged 40 – 70. Those who scored 30 or above were more likely to develop coronary heart disease by 68 percent than those who scored below 30.

Former American Heart Association President Donna Arnett said, “The evidence is very strong for the relationship between sleep apnea and hypertension and cardiovascular disease generally, so people really need to know that.”

Sleep apnea poses severe and possibly fatal health issues. Most people who have the condition are entirely unaware of it. It truly is a silent killer.

If you think that you suffer from OSA, contact a dentist who specializes in sleep disorders now. There are new dental treatments that help in the treatment of sleep apnea.

What to Look For

If you suspect that your grinding of the teeth is a symptom of OSA, be on the lookout for the following signs:

• Trouble staying asleep
• Daytime sleepiness
• Attention or memory issues
• Loud Snoring
• Dry or a sore throat upon waking up
• Jaw aches
• Headaches

If you or someone you know is suffering from these symptoms, get professional help immediately

How Is Snoring Related to Sleep Apnea?

About 40% of adult men and 24% of adult women are habitual snorers. Chronic light snoring is a sign of Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS) and can affect the overall quality of your sleep. On the other hand, heavy snoring is a sign of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a severe sleep disorder. OSA is a risk factor for many dangerous and potentially deadly health problems.

What Causes Snoring?

Obstruction of the airflow from the mouth or nose to the lungs causes the sound we call snoring. The vibration of the tissues of the airway creates this noise. People do not like to talk about their snoring habits. Many are too embarrassed to seek treatment because of its social stigma.

Snorers often prefer to buy over-the-counter remedies than to request the assistance of a healthcare professional. While this may work for some people, there are many cases when snoring is a symptom of a serious health issue. Online remedies to curb snoring may do snorers more harm than good.

What Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and How Is It Related to Snoring?

People who suffer from sleep apnea experience very shallow breathing or repeated interruptions in breathing while sleeping. One of the signs of sleep apnea includes disrupted breathing which can occur hundreds of times per night. Obstructed breathing causes the body to attempt to provide better airflow by tensing the throat muscles. This tensing creates snoring.

Those who suffer from sleep apnea do not complete the regular rejuvenating sleep cycles. Instead, breathing stops in mid-cycle for about ten seconds for up to 60 or more times in one hour. As a result, the brain and the body are oxygen starved. Oxygen deprivation creates conditions for other chronic or fatal diseases.

Sleep Apnea and Cancer

If your snoring is a symptom of OSA, you may be at greater risk of developing and dying from cancer. In a longitudinal study of government workers, researchers found that those who had breathing difficulties at night were 2x as likely to die from cancer compared to people with no sleep issues.

In another study, researchers from Spain discovered that patients who suffered from severe forms of sleep apnea had a 65 percent increased chance of developing any form of cancer. Researchers point to oxygen depletion as the primary contributing factor. They discovered that the greater the oxygen starvation, the higher the odds of developing cancer.A study published in 2012 sheds more light on the connection between sleep apnea and death due to cancer. When your body doesn’t have sufficient oxygen, it will form new blood vessels as a coping mechanism. Unfortunately, these new blood vessels will also feed the cancer cells of growing tumors with nutrients. Consequently, tumors grow and invade the body more quickly.

Other studies were also able to link sleep apnea with cancer. Currently, more than 28 million Americans suffer from OSA. Suffice to say they are at greater risk of developing cancer.

What are the Signs of OSA?

Be on the lookout for the following signs if you suspect that your snoring is a symptom of OSA:

• Loud snoring
• Daytime sleepiness
• Existing chronic diseases such as high blood pressure or insulin resistance
• History of cardiovascular disease, stroke, atrial fibrillation, early dementia, or cancer
• Depression, irritability, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, or erectile dysfunction
• Morning headaches
• Decreased interest in sex

If you experience obstruction of the airflow or the symptoms of snoring and sleep apnea, better consult a medical professional such as a dental sleep specialist immediately. Receiving a proper diagnosis should help you get the appropriate treatment.

12 Popular Snoring Myths Debunked by Science –

Not a lot of people consider snoring as a legitimate health issue. Snoring may get on people’s nerves. However, it is uncommon for someone to seek medical help due to snoring issues.

This lack of concern exists partly because of snoring myths. These myths are immortalized by word of mouth or by familial beliefs passed on from one generation to the next. It’s time to bust these myths once and for all. Here are popular snoring myths debunked by science.

1. Myth: Snoring is harmless.

Although many people snore, the condition is far from harmless. It can be an unwitting siren that signals the existence of a critical condition.

Some people who snore suffer from sleep apnea. Sleep apnea sufferers experience pauses in breathing or periods of shallow breathing while sleeping. Studies reveal that interruptions may happen hundreds of times per night. While in a deep sleep, the person’s airway collapses causing a partial blockage. Snoring occurs when the soft palate tissue vibrates as air flows through narrow spaces.

The condition reduces oxygen supply to the bloodstream. If left undiagnosed, oxygen deprivation can cause severe and irreparable damage to the brain and body.

2. Myth: Women rarely snore.

24% of women snore. Once a woman becomes pregnant, it is more likely for her to snore. However, studies have shown that after the pregnancy, the numbers return to 24%.

3. Myth: Snoring is not harmful to children.

A child should not be a snorer. Same as adults, a child may breathe heavily while sleeping. However, if the snoring is loud enough to be noticed by the parent, the child may have some health issues. Scheduling an appointment with a professional to have the child’s health checked is a must.

4. Myth: Snoring is a health hazard to the snorer only.

Snoring affects not only the health of the snorer but also the bed partner’s health. A typical snorer can make a noise of around 60 decibels, which is about the level of a vacuum cleaner. However, some snorers can reach the level of 80 to 90 decibels, the same level as an average manufacturing plant.

Sleeping with a partner who snores is dangerous for your health. It might result in high blood pressure and poor health. Snoring also causes the bed partner to lose up to one hour of sleep a night or experience fragmented sleep.

5. Myth: Losing weight can cure snoring.

Depending on the cause, losing weight cannot always fix snoring. A patient who is overweight and suffers from sleep apnea may stop snoring after losing weight, but it is not guaranteed.

6. Myth: Cleansing a clogged nose can treat snoring.

Having a clogged nose can aggravate snoring, but in general, it is not the cause. Based on a recent study, undergoing nasal surgery for breathing problems cured only 10% of patients with sleep apnea.

Snoring is a complicated relationship between the soft palate, the nose, the jaw, and the tongue. The vibrations come from the soft palate. Having a small jaw and the tongue falling back aggravates the condition. Simply cleansing your nose wouldn’t treat snoring.

7. Myth: Only overweight people snore.

Although overweight people are more likely to snore, a person of any weight might snore too. There are several causes of snoring. It can be caused by the obstruction of the throat by the polyps or other growth, allergies, illness, a deviated septum, heart issues, or other health conditions.

8. Myth: Alcohol helps reduce snoring.

Alcohol can cause overly deep but frequently self-interrupted sleep that may make the snoring worse.

9. Myth: Snoring is inherited.

70% of snorers may suffer from snoring due to genetic ties. However, this is one of the figures that can be misleading.

If you have a snoring parent, there is a 70% chance you will also snore. Studies fail to mention the reasons behind this link with your parents.

This does not appear to be a genetic link. If your parents snore because of their lifestyle, like drinking, being overweight, and smoking, and you share a similar lifestyle, there is a good chance that you may snore. However, if your lifestyle is different than your snoring parent, there is no reason for you to acquire it.

10. Myth: Snorers cannot do anything about snoring.

There are plenty of lifestyle changes that you can make to minimize snoring. You can start by losing weight, quitting smoking, and drinking alcohol moderately or occasionally.

There is a surprising result from a study published in the journal entitled “Sleep Medicine.” According to the research, a woman who maintains a high level of physical activity has fewer complaints of habitual snoring. This is whether she is overweight or a smoker.

Research also found that singing can help with snoring. It strengthens the weak and snore-prone muscles of the throat.

11. Myth: Snoring has nothing to do with a person’s hypertension or diabetes.

Scientific studies are showing the correlation between poor quality and insufficient sleep with a variety of health issues.

Getting interrupted sleep can negatively affect your normal blood pressure. Based on recent studies, nearly 80% of the cases of hypertension, 60% of stroke cases, and 50% of heart failure cases are caused by undiagnosed sleep apnea.

Research also indicates that insufficient sleep can impair your body’s ability to use insulin which can lead to diabetes. Fragmented sleep can also cause lowered metabolism and higher cortisol levels resulting in increased appetite but decreased ability to burn fats and calories.

12. Myth: There is no medical treatment for snoring.

There are a lot of medical treatments available to cure snoring. To get the right diagnosis, you can visit a dental sleep specialist. Treatment may include surgery, but there are other options, such as oral appliances and a non-surgical laser.

11 Amazing Health Benefits of Sleep –

Sleep makes you feel and look better. It not only boosts your mood but also helps in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. If you have adequate rest, it can benefit your heart, your mind, and a lot more.

A day without enough shuteye makes you feel terrible and moody, while a good night’s sleep makes you feel ready to take on the day’s challenges. Here are ten amazing benefits of sleep:

Improves Memory

Your mind is busy while you are sleeping. During sleep, you can strengthen your memory and practice the skills you learned during the day.

Sleep puts you in an optimum state of mind to process information as you go about the day. You also need it to retain and process all that information long-term. It triggers the changes in your brain that will help solidify memories. Good shuteye strengthens the connection between brain cells and transfers information from one brain region to another.

In short, sleep helps you consolidate and store memories.

Sharpens Attention

The brain is like a powerful battery. It needs rest every now and then. While sleeping, you allow the brain to recharge, resulting in sharper attention.

Sleep deprivation reduces attention span and concentration. Consequently, your reaction time becomes slower than usual. Your brain will have a hard time making decisions and responding to environmental signals.

With sufficient sleep, you can process information easier and react to dangerous situations faster.

Lowers Stress

Sleep is as important as healthy eating. It enhances your well-being. Getting enough sleep can help you manage stress more effectively.

Stress can lead to insomnia. To make things worse, if you have shorter hours of bedtime, you feel more stressed. To break this vicious cycle, you need to get enough sleep. You will feel recharged and rejuvenated and have the mental fortitude to keep stress at bay.

Builds Muscles

You can do high-intensity workouts, eat the right food, and take the necessary supplements but you cannot grow muscles without sleep. After the actual workout, sleep is the next important activity for building muscles.

Sleep is necessary to balance your hormones. While you are sleeping, the body releases hormones necessary for muscle growth such as testosterone and IGF-1. If you lack sleep, your body can slow the rate of producing these hormones.

If you have enough sleep, you will have more energy to use while working out. You can run and lift at your maximum without getting tired easily. You can stick to your muscle-building diet since sleep helps control your levels of leptin, which makes you feel full.

Sleep keeps you in shape and accelerates muscle growth.

Stimulates Collagen Growth

When it comes to a beauty routine, sleep is the cheapest and most effective way there is to attain the fountain of youth. While you snooze, your body continues to repair and recover itself.

The skin makes new collagen as you sleep. This collagen helps avoid sagging as you grow older. The more collagen your skin has, the plumper and less likely it is to wrinkle. Rest also boosts the blood flow to your skin which will help you maintain a healthier glow.

Getting sufficient sleep is a powerful beauty treatment.

Curbs Inflammation

Lack of sleep can lead to major health concerns. Clinical research revealed that sleep deprivation boosted concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), which is a marker of inflammation. Researchers also discovered CRP concentrations of participants who got 8.2 hours of sleep remained stable. At the end of the study, the researchers suggested that sleep loss may be one of the ways that activate inflammatory processes as well as contribute to cardiovascular risk.

If you’re suffering from sleep apnea, chances are you have high CRP levels. In another study, researchers treated participants suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). The data revealed that CPAP treatment for OSA significantly reduces CRP concentrations.

Lower inflammation can help decrease your risk of getting heart disease, diabetes, stroke, arthritis, and premature aging. Ward off inflammation with good sleep.

Spurs Creativity

The relationship between a person’s creativity and sleeping is the subject of much folklore. Many artists credit their creative genius to their dreams. There is also a common term “sleep on it” when making a tough decision.

When you sleep, your brain can create new connections among dimly related ideas. This results in the restructuring of new information that will lead to creating insights once you wake up. When you sleep, your brain becomes active. Also, as you enter REM sleep, your mind is more flexible and open to newer ways of thinking.

Sleep assists the brain in connecting unrelated memories and ideas which increases the odds that a creative idea will surface.

Improves Grades

Children between 10 and 16 years old who have sleep disorders often have issues with learning and attention. A study in the journal Sleep states that these issues can lead to a significant functional impairment at school. University students who did not get enough sleep also had worse grades compared to those who slept well.

Poor or inadequate sleep is a risk factor for poor academic performance. The pre-frontal cortex is the engine behind your working memory, planning, math, and language skills. Without sufficient sleep, this brain area suffers from performance issues. As a result, the person’s academic performance suffers as well.

Sleep plays a significant role in helping children and teenagers in establishing and consolidating their memories.

Regulates Weight

If you are short on sleep, it can affect your weight. When you lack sleep, you are tempted to skip your diet, get fast food takeout for dinner, and sleep late.

Skipping sleeping hours affects the activity in your brain’s frontal lobe – the area that is associated with decision-making and impulse control. When tired, the reward centers of your brain look for something to make you feel good. Your brain attempts to find comfort with food cravings. These urges can lead to unhealthy eating habits and eventually, uncontrolled weight gain.

Kill the food cravings by sleeping. When you have enough sleep, you give the brain one less reason to find unhealthy ways to feel good.

Enhances Longevity

Insufficient sleep has links to a shorter lifespan. Sleep deprivation can spur a number of health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, and obesity. If left untreated, these issues can significantly reduce a person’s lifespan.

Sleep gives the brain and the body a chance to recharge and to properly regulate their functions. Hence, it is vital to sleep seven to nine hours every night so you can feel better and enjoy a longer life.

Enriches Your Sex Life

Sleep can help you spice up your sex life. Sleep deprivation impacts your libido. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) limits your body’s capability to produce the sex hormone, testosterone. A study conducted by the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology revealed male OSA sufferers produce testosterone levels that are lower, which diminishes libido.

On the other hand, testosterone levels naturally increase while you sleep. Your body needs oxygen to produce testosterone and sustain a healthy libido. Another study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine shows that longer sleep is correlated to higher sexual desire the next day. Furthermore, researchers note that getting enough sleep is essential to promote sexual urges and a healthy genital response along with the possibility of engaging in sexual activity with a partner.

Discovering the Connections Between ADHD/ADD and Sleep Disorders in Kids –

Poor impulse control, forgetfulness, and trouble paying attention are just a few of the behaviors commonly associated with ADHD. However, these can also be signs of sleep-disordered breathing. Since a lot of kids with ADHD find sleeping a challenge, these two issues can be hard to differentiate.

Has your child been misdiagnosed with ADHD when the symptoms are really due to the child’s disrupted sleep? You may be surprised to learn that some parents of children diagnosed with ADHD claim that the symptoms disappeared upon the resolution of sleep issues.

Does this mean that these children did not have ADHD in the first place?

Children with ADHD/ADD and Sleep Problems

About one-quarter up to one-half of parents with children diagnosed with ADHD report that their children suffer from sleep problems. Based on reports, kids with ADHD are two to three times more likely to experience issues with sleeping compared to those without ADHD.

Inadequate sleep can negatively affect the child’s way of thinking, functioning, and behaving. Children who have sleep problems may show behavior and other impairments that are similar to those who have ADHD. A study conducted at Aarhus University found that parents reported symptoms similar to ADHD for children who did not sleep long enough. These symptoms included impulsivity, hyperactivity, and behavioral, problems.

Signs of Sleep Disturbance

Lack of sleep can be a result of nightmares, anxiety, sleep apnea, and asthma that affect the child’s breathing. Ruling out these medical conditions is an important task for a parent.

The signs of sleep-disordered breathing can appear as early as age 1. Things to look out for include:

• Mouth breathing when sleeping
• Snoring
• Pauses in breathing when sleeping
• Difficulty falling asleep
• Difficulty staying asleep
• Difficulty waking up in the morning
• Waking up coughing

There are guidelines when it comes to how much sleep children need at every age. Sleeping less than what’s required is not an immediate indication that something is wrong with your child. However, getting less quality sleep than an average child of the same age range can be a reason for further investigation. Lack of sleep can also impact the child’s behavior even if it does not reach the level of full-blown ADHD.

Signs of ADHD

Research reveals that 6 to 10% of the population suffers from ADHD. ADHD signs to look out for include:

• Irritability
• Falling asleep during classes
• Distractibility
• Difficulty in paying attention
• Difficulty sustaining focus on activities that the child may find uninteresting or not rewarding
• Difficulty listening and following even simple directions
• Difficulty staying seated and always fidgeting
• An excessive amount of energy
• Tendency to blurt things out and interrupt
• Easily distractible
• Trouble organizing
• Forgetful
• Impatience

• Children with ADHD can have difficulties with self-regulation. This can make it more difficult for them to shift from their active mode to their wind-down mode during the evening.
• Children with ADHD are more prone to getting nightmares, bedwetting, and restless leg syndrome.
• Children with ADHD tend to put off doing homework or other tasks until the last minute before they go to sleep.
• A lot of children with ADHD also have anxiety problems. Because there are fewer activities at night to distract them, anxiety emerges. It causes them to have trouble falling and staying asleep.
• Tweens and teens with ADHD feel productive at night. As a result, they form the habit of staying up too late.

Sleep Problems or ADHD?

We know that sleep problems can mimic the symptoms of ADHD and that ADHD can create sleep disruption. So, how can you tell which causes your child’s symptoms?

This is more than a “which came first – the chicken or the egg” type of puzzle. The presence of sleep-disordered breathing, especially sleep apnea, can be extremely harmful, even deadly.

This problem is compounded by the findings of a 2011 study by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Of the pediatricians they studied, they found that:

• Less than 1 in 5 had formal sleep disorders training
• Less than 1 in 6 felt confident in providing guidance to parents about their children’s sleep problems
• Less than 1 in 7 could correctly answer questions about snoring and sleep apnea.

This lack of knowledge and training is not restricted to pediatricians. The fact is that sleep disorders, especially sleep-disordered breathing, are often overlooked and are extremely underdiagnosed.

A lot of psychologists and pediatricians may give incorrect diagnoses since symptoms of ADHD resemble symptoms of sleep disorders. To prevent misdiagnosis, it is imperative to seek a second opinion for a more accurate diagnosis. Find a dentist that specializes in sleep disorders to rule out sleep disorders.