Julian Center

3 Effective Ways That Dentists Treat Sleep Disorders –

Sleep impacts not only your health but also the overall quality of your daily life. Getting a good night’s sleep can help you look, feel, and perform at your best. According to the American Sleep Association, 50 to 70 million adults in the United States have a sleep disorder.

Having sleep disorders can be harmful to your well-being. Managing your sleep problems with the help of a medical professional, like a dentist, is important. Dentists are now recognizing and treating sleep disorders.

What are the treatments options that dentists can do? Let’s cite how they can provide treatments for sleep disorders.

Taking the Indirect Approach

This method refers to the recognition of what is the suspected sleep disorder that affects the patient’s sleep status. The dentist can recognize sleep disorders like insomnia, jet lag, narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and restless limb syndrome.

The dentist advises and educates the patient about the potential sleep disorder. The dentist, who is a sleep specialist, can also provide you with a complete sleep evaluation that may involve an overnight sleep study in a sleep center or a home sleep apnea test. The data from the sleep study can be interpreted and discussed by the dentist and refer the patient for further evaluation and care if needed.

The dentist does the indirect approach first to diagnose the sleep disorder, refer the patient to undergo a sleep study and provide the diagnosis for the patient.

Administering Oral Appliances

Dentists have an important role in treating obstructive sleep apnea and snoring by administering oral appliances. Oral appliance therapy is an effective treatment option for obstructive sleep apnea and snoring. A custom-fit oral sleep appliance can improve the quality of your sleep, can restore your alertness, and revitalizes your health and overall well-being.

The study Oral Appliance Treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea: An Update showed that oral appliances are an effective treatment for obstructive sleep apnea not only to improve the apnea-hypopnea index but also for different physiological and behavioral results. Oral appliances are worn only during sleep. There are two major categories of oral appliances: mandibular advancement devices (MADs); and tongue-retaining mouthpieces.

Mandibular Advancement Devices (MADs)

The mandibular advancement devices fit like a sports mouth guard or orthodontic retainer. These devices push the lower jaw and tongue slightly forward to prevent the throat muscles from collapsing back into the airway and allow normal breathing as you sleep. They help support the jaw in a forward position to maintain an open upper airway. Most MADs are adjustable and dentists can fine-tune the jaw’s position to allow maximum effectiveness.

Tongue Retaining Mouthpieces

Meanwhile, tongue-retaining mouthpieces are similar to MADs in construction but they have a small compartment that can fit around your tongue to keep it held forward. This compartment in a form of a suction prevents the tongue from collapsing back into the airway. These devices are recommended by dentists to patients who cannot have their jaws repositioned forward.

Mouth Guard

Dentists may also recommend mouthguards to cure bruxism.  if you often wake up with a headache or sore jaw, you may be clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth while you sleep. This is called bruxism.

Wearing a night mouth guard can prevent you from grinding your teeth. Your dentist will fit you with a device to prevent your jaw from clenching. This mouth guard for grinding teeth acts as a protective barrier between your upper and lower teeth. It also aids to raise your bite and reposition the jaw in a position that helps relieve you from any symptoms and discomforts.

Before recommending the best oral appliance for you, your dentist conducts a complete clinical evaluation. This includes examining your teeth, jaw, tongue, and airway. An oral appliance can then be customized for you by the dentist.

Dentists administer oral appliances. They also recommend the most suitable oral appliance for you to treat your snoring, obstructive sleep apnea, or bruxism to improve your sleep.

Traditional or Modern Braces

Dentists also craft different types of braces like the traditional braces or the modern Invisalign not only to create a beautiful smile but also to treat sleep apnea. When you suffer from sleep apnea, your breathing is restricted by the shape of your tongue, mouth, and throat, a common sign that you need braces. This restriction in breathing is dangerous as it lowers blood oxygen levels.

Traditional or modern braces can increase the room inside your mouth. This can improve airflow and reduce the causes of sleep apnea. The misaligned and overcrowded teeth that may indicate a small jaw and reduced airspace can be corrected by braces.

Orthodontic braces can also correct the alignment of your jaw. When your lower jaw is not properly aligned, it can obstruct the airway. Some of your muscles can relax as you sleep, and that can narrow the airway opening. As a result, entry of air into your lungs is restricted and you may experience pauses in breathing.

When your bite problem is corrected, your airway will be open, and it will be easier for you to breathe, making you feel well-rested in the morning.

Dentists Play a Big Role

Dentists play an important role in treating patients’ sleep disorders. These treatments can involve the indirect approach as well as the use of oral appliances and orthodontic braces. If you are experiencing symptoms of sleep disorders, see a dentist specializing in sleep disorders to prevent further impact on your health.

5 Treatment Options for Obstructive Sleep Apnea –

Obstructive Sleep Apnea causes breathing to repeatedly stop and start while you sleep. It happens when something partly or completely blocks the upper airway as you snooze. If you think that you have OSA, the first thing that you need to do is to see a doctor and undergo a sleep apnea test. OSA should be diagnosed and treated promptly.

Treatment depends on the severity of your obstructive sleep apnea. People with mild apnea have a wider variety of treatment options than those who have moderate to severe apnea.

Here is the list of treatment options for obstructive sleep apnea.

Lifestyle Changes

One of the treatment options for OSA is lifestyle changes. If you have a milder case of sleep apnea, your doctor may recommend making lifestyle changes. These changes include losing weight and quitting smoking and drinking.

A case report entitled Lifestyle Modifications and the Resolution of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome: A Case Report showed that dietary modifications can be an effective tool in improving the management of OSA. People who are overweight, especially those who have extra fat around their jaw and neck are more likely to acquire sleep apnea than those who have a healthy weight. The extra fat and tissue around the neck can put more pressure on the airway.

Changing your lifestyle by maintaining a healthier weight and quitting smoking and alcohol can prevent more pressure on your airway and relaxation of the throat muscles that cause OSA.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is an OSA treatment used to treat moderate to severe cases. It is the most common and reliable method of treating OSA but some people find it uncomfortable.

CPAP uses a machine while you sleep. This CPAP machine delivers air pressure through a mask placed over the nose. With this method, the air pressure is greater than the surrounding air. It is also enough to keep your upper airway passages open to prevent snoring and apnea.

CPAP is an effective way to stop snoring and apnea because it continuously delivers air pressure to your upper airway passages.

Oral Appliances

Using oral appliances is another treatment for sleep apnea. It continues to increase in popularity as the public’s awareness of using oral appliances as an effective first line of treatment grows. There are more than 100 oral appliances approved by the FDA for treating sleep apnea and snoring.

The American Academy of Sleep approves oral appliance usage for mild to moderate OSA. The American Academy of Sleep also recommends using oral appliances for people with moderate to severe OSA who cannot tolerate or wear CPAP devices.

Oral appliances are worn in the mouth, just like a sports mouth guard while you sleep. They hold the lower jaw forward to keep the airway open and to prevent the muscles in your upper airway and tongue to collapse and block the airway.

Surgical Procedure

If the other treatment options have failed, surgery is the only option available to treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea. For people with certain jaw structure problems, surgery is the first option given by medical professionals as well.

The goals of sleep apnea surgery are to enlarge the airway through the throat or nose that causes you to snore or may be blocking the upper air passages that cause sleep apnea. There are three surgical options available.

Jaw Repositioning

Also known as maxillomandibular advancement, In this surgery procedure, the jaw is moved forward from the remainder of the facial bones. This process enlarges the space behind the soft palate and the tongue to make the obstruction less likely.

Tissue Removal

Also known as uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, this procedure involves the doctor removing the tissue from the top of your throat and the rear of your mouth. The tonsils and adenoids are usually removed, too.

Tissue removal surgery can be successful in stopping the throat structures from vibrating, causing snoring. It is less effective than CPAP but for people who cannot tolerate CPAP and other oral devices, removing the tissues in the back of the throat using radio frequency energy is the best option.

Tracheostomy

A tracheostomy is performed in life-threatening cases of sleep apnea. In this procedure, the surgeon makes an opening in the neck and inserts a plastic or metal tube to help you breathe. This opening is covered during the day but kept uncovered during the night to allow air to pass in and out of the lungs to bypass the blocked air passage in the throat.

Surgery can help in reducing snoring and contribute to sleep apnea treatment by enlarging or clearing the air passages.

Medicine

Medical professionals rarely suggest using medicine to treat OSA. However, for children with mild sleep apnea and surgery is not an option, giving intranasal corticosteroid medicine can be the only option.

Medication can be taken in conjunction with CPAP to reduce the number of times you stop breathing at night. Some drugs also help patients in managing sleep apnea symptoms including difficulty in sleeping and daytime sleepiness.

Over-the-counter drugs should only be used upon the advice of the doctor if you have sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea can be treated in different ways. Talk to your doctor or see a sleep expert like a dentist about the best treatment for you before you try these treatments.

15 Surprising Statistics About Insomnia –

Insomnia is a sleep disorder that affects millions of people in the world. People with insomnia find it difficult to fall asleep or even to stay asleep.

Insomnia can keep you from performing your best at work or in school. It leads to daytime sleepiness, inability to concentrate, lethargy, irritability, and anxiety.

Here are 15 surprising statistics about insomnia.

How many people are affected by insomnia?

At least 40 million Americans experience insomnia annually. Around 1 in 3 people have mild insomnia.

How long do the symptoms of insomnia last?

The symptoms of insomnia last depending on the type of insomnia that you have. Transient insomnia lasts up to three nights; acute insomnia or short-term insomnia lasts for several weeks, and chronic insomnia lasts for several months.

How many people are suffering from chronic insomnia?

About 10% of people have experienced chronic insomnia.

What age is considered the most crucial for people to have insomnia?

68% of adults aged 18 to 29 and 59% of 30 to 64-year-olds experience symptoms of insomnia while 40% of people over 65 years old suffer from this sleep disorder.

Is insomnia more prevalent in women than men?

Yes, insomnia is more prevalent in women than men. The National Sleep Foundation’s 2002 Sleep in America Poll showed that 63% of women versus 54% of men experienced symptoms of insomnia at least a few nights a week.

Is insomnia hereditary?

Yes, it is hereditary. Approximately 35% of people with insomnia have a family history of insomnia.

Are children suffering from insomnia as well?

Yes, children are also suffering from insomnia. Approximately 30% of children experienced problems falling and staying asleep at some point in their lives.

Is depression a risk factor for insomnia?

Yes, depression is a risk factor for this sleep disorder. 80% of those who were diagnosed with depression also suffer difficulty sleeping.

Is stress another risk factor for insomnia?

Yes, stress is another risk factor for insomnia. 23% of people experiencing stress reported insomnia.

How many people use prescription sleep aids to help get quality rest?

Approximately 9 million people in the United States are buying and using prescription sleep aids.

Do employers lose money because of insomnia?

Yes, employers and companies are losing money because of insomnia. For the entire US workforce, there is a loss of an estimated $63 billion due to insomnia every year. In addition, employers spend at least $3,200 or more on health care costs for employees suffering from sleep problems compared with those who are sleeping well.

Is insomnia affecting the US government financially?

Yes, according to the US Surgeon General, insomnia is costing the government more than $15 billion a year in health care costs.

Does insomnia affect marriage?

Yes, insomnia affects marriage. A study from the University of Pittsburg showed that women who are unhappily married were 50% more likely to deal with insomnia than those who are happily married.

Can insomnia contribute to your weight gain?

Yes, insomnia can contribute to your weight gain. People who slept less than 3 hours a night for a prolonged time have 5% increase in their weight.

Is chronic insomnia deadly?

Yes, chronic insomnia is deadly. It significantly increases the risks of non-communicable diseases like heart disease, stroke, and cancer. In 2008, there were 57 million deaths, with 58% attributed to these non-communicable diseases.

Do you have other statistics about insomnia that you can share? Write them in the comment box below.

15 Unbelievable Poor Sleep Statistics –

Sleep is important in a person’s life. It is connected to your ability to function throughout the day. A night of poor sleep can result in fatigue, bad mood, and lack of focus.

What people do not know is that poor sleep, especially on a regular basis, can contribute to long-term health consequences. It can also result in shortened life expectancy. That is why it is important to get a good night’s sleep regularly.

Let’s cite 15 unbelievable statistics about poor sleep that you should know.

How many people are suffering from poor or insufficient sleep affecting their daily activities?

According to the National Sleep Foundation’s inaugural Sleep Health Index, 45% of Americans say that poor, insufficient or interrupted sleep every night is affecting their daily activities at least once in seven days.

How many people are suffering from chronic sleep loss or sleep disorders?

More than 20% of Americans are suffering from chronic sleep loss or untreated sleep disorders.

How many hours of sleep is needed a night?

Adults need at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night.

Is poor quality sleep affecting the quality of health?

Yes, poor quality sleep is affecting the quality of health. 67% of people who have less than good sleep quality reported to have poor or only fair health.

Do many people drive while feeling sleepy?

Yes, many people drive while feeling sleepy. The National Sleep Foundation’s Sleep in America Poll showed that 60% of people have driven while they are feeling sleepy, with 37% admitting to having fallen asleep while driving.

Is having an extra hour of sleep important for people?

Yes, having an extra hour of sleep is important for people. 82% of Americans find an extra hour of sleep at night somewhat or extremely valuable while 79% would feel better and more prepared for the day if they have an extra hour of sleep.

How many adults suffer from short sleep duration?

37% of adults aged 20 to 39 report to have short sleep duration while 40% of 40 to 59-year-olds experience short sleep.

Is poor sleep more prevalent in women than in men?

Yes, poor sleep is more prevalent in women than in men. 49% of women have trouble falling asleep for 1 or more nights compared to 40% of men. Meanwhile, 56% of women struggle staying asleep for 1 or more nights against 48% of men.

Is stress or anxiety a risk factor for poor sleep?

Yes, stress is a risk factor for poor sleep. 54% of say that stress or anxiety increased their anxiety about falling asleep at night.

Is snoring a risk factor for having a poor quality sleep?

Yes, snoring is a risk factor for having poor quality sleep. About 90 million Americans have their sleep disrupted by snoring.

Is weight affecting the sleep quality of a person?

Yes, weight is affecting the sleep quality of a person. A US health survey showed that 30% of employees suffer from insufficient sleep. 22% or more of these employees are obese while 36.8% are overweight.

Do children experience poor sleep?

Yes, children also experience poor sleep. More than two out of every three children under the age of 10 have experienced sleep problems.

Do older people experience having a poor night’s sleep?

Yes, older people experience having a poor night’s sleep, too. According to the Sleep in America poll of the National Sleep Foundation, about 44% of elderlies experience symptoms of insomnia a few nights in a week or more.

Do students experience having a poor sleep too?

Yes, 7 out of every 10 college students get less than the recommended amount of sleep each night. 68% of college students say that they experience troubles falling asleep or broken sleep every night because of academic stress and something that is affecting them emotionally.

Can poor sleep affect your decision-making skills?

Yes, declining decision-making skills are side effects of interrupted sleep. 2.4% of those without quality sleep have troubles performing tasks requiring quick decision-making skills compared to the 4.3% of those who were able to get enough sleep.

Are there other poor sleep statistics not mentioned above that you can share? Let us know by writing them in the comment section below.

15 Statistics About How Much Sleep You Need –

Sleep is an important indicator of your overall well-being and health. People spend up to one-third of their lives under the sheets.

Most people know that getting enough sleep is important, but only a few were able to make seven to nine hours of sleep a priority. Suffering from a sleep disorder impacts your health and lifestyle.

To get enough sleep that you need, you must know the facts about it first. Here are 15 statistics about how much sleep you need that you should know.

How much sleep is needed by adults?

7 to 9 hours is the required hours of sleep for adults.

Do all adults get the required hours of sleep every night?

Not all adults get the required hours of sleep every night. 40% of people in the US fall below the guidelines.

What is the average hours of sleep a night for American adults?

Americans currently have an average 6.8 hours of sleep a night.

How many meet the standard 7 to 9 hours of sleep?

59% of adults in the United States meet the standard 7 to 9 hours of sleep.

How many adults sleep for seven hours or more than the required hours?

86% of the adults in the United States get seven or more hours of sleep.

How many get less than seven hours?

40% get less than seven hours of sleep.

How many adults say they will feel better if they get more sleep?

43% say that they would feel better if they get more sleep.

What percentage of men and women get enough sleep at night?

60% of men sleep for 7 hours or more while only 52% of women get enough sleep at night.

What is the best time to sleep?

The best time to sleep is from 10 PM to 11 PM. This is the time when the body temperature, cortisol level, and stress hormone starts to drop.

Does having children affect sleep of American adults?

Yes, having children affects the sleep of American adults. Only 46% of parents of young children (under 18) get the amount of sleep needed.

How much sleep is required for kids?

The amount of sleep required for children varies depending on their age.

• Newborns (0 to 3 months) = 14 to 17 hours of sleep
• Infants (4 to 11 months) = 12 to 15 hours
• Toddlers (1 to 2 years old) = 11 to 14 hours
• Preschoolers (3 to 5 years old) = 10 to 13 hours
• School-aged Children (6 to 13 years old) = 9 to 11 hours

How much sleep is needed by teenagers?

Teenagers need to sleep for 8 to 10 hours every night to function at their best.

Do teens get enough sleep?

No, teenagers do not get enough sleep every night. Only 15% sleep for 8.5 hours during school nights.

Do older people need less sleep every night?

No, older people need the same amount of sleep as younger adults. Seniors need as much as 9 hours of sleep every night. However, according to the National Sleep Foundation’s Sleep in America poll, 44% of older people experience one or more symptoms of insomnia a few nights in a week.

Can a night of sleeping less than 7 hours increase your emotional response?

Yes, even a night of sleeping less than 7 hours can increase your emotional response. Dangers of sleep deprivation include the increase of emotional response to negative feelings by 60%.

Were you surprised to see these numbers? If you have other statistics that you want to share, write them in the comment box below.

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Why Do You Need to Sleep: 20 Positive Effects of Having a Good Night’s Rest –

Getting a good night’s sleep is important. The National Sleep Foundation suggests sleeping for 7 to 9 hours a night. However, not everyone is getting the required number of hours every night.

When you are sleep deprived or you are suffering from a sleep disorder, your risk for depression increases as well. You are more likely to experience higher levels of stress, too.

Why is sleep so important? Here are 20 facts about the positive effects of sleep.

Physical

1. Can enough sleep prevent you from getting deadly diseases?

Yes, enough sleep can prevent you from getting deadly diseases. Getting lack of sleep can lower your risk of acquiring chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and urinary issues. A good night’s sleep can also lower your blood pressure and sugar, which are main risk factors for diabetes, stroke, and high blood pressure.

2. Is better skin connected with getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep?

Yes, better skin is connected with getting more sleep. The study Does Poor Sleep Quality Affect Skin Ageing shows that lack of sleep is associated with the increasingly visible signs of aging, diminished skin functions, and lower overall satisfaction with the physical appearance. A person who gets 7 to 9 hours of sleep has a lower sign of skin aging.

3. Does adequate sleep help build your muscles easier?

Yes, adequate sleep can help building your muscles easier. Proper rest can make the muscles in your body recuperate and regenerate new tissues, helps you to trim excess fats and build new muscles.

According to an article in Bodybuilding, during your sleep, growth muscles is produced and protein synthesis occurs. Your energy consumption is reduced and your brain cells are restored.

4. Can you gain weight while sleeping?

No, you cannot gain weight while sleeping. In fact, adequate sleep helps in controlling your weight easier. The study Short Sleep Duration and Weight Gain: A Systematic Review showed that there is a link between weight gain and short sleep duration. People who are sleep deprived and sleep less than 5 hours a night had a 30% higher risk of gaining 30 pounds.

5. Does sleep reduce your risk of chronic diseases?

Yes, adequate sleep lower down your overall risk of chronic diseases. An article from the Harvard Medical School showed that adjusting your sleep can help reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases or may also lessen the severity of an ongoing disease.

Sleep affects your body’s ability to fight inflammation. During your sleep, the body produces the hormone cytokine that helps fight infection.

Psychological

6. Can sleep make you less lazy?

Yes, sleep can make you less lazy. Getting adequate sleep can give you enough energy to complete your goals for the body. The research The Effect of Sleep Loss on Next Day Effort posits that people who suffer sleep loss show a preference for tasks that only require minimal effort the next day.

Going to sleep the same time every night can also result in a good night’s rest. Sticking to a scheduled sleep time can allow the circadian rhythm of your body to be more regulated, making you feel more refreshed and focus on the task as soon as you wake up.

7. Is sleep an important factor in helping you focus on your daily tasks?

Yes, sleep is an important factor in helping you focus on your daily tasks, whether it is for your school, work or house. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute posits that shuteye can help you remain alert and sharp throughout the day. It will help your to-do list more manageable.

8. Can sleep help cleanse your brain?

Yes, sleep can help cleanse your brain. When you sleep, the brain clears itself of trash or bad toxins that it accumulates over time.

The mice study entitled Sleep Drives Metabolite Clearance from the Adult Brain suggested that sleep helps in restoring the brain by flushing out the toxins that build up during waking hours. The glymphatic system also helps remove the toxic protein, beta-amyloid, in the brain. This protein is known to accumulate in the brain of people with Alzheimer’s disease.

9. Can your mind slow down even with just one night of insufficient sleep?

Yes, your mind can slow down even with just one night of insufficient sleep. Sleeping for seven to nine hours every night consistently allows the information from one area of your brain to another to travel smoothly. As a result, your memory which handles the decision-making and problem-solving performs normally. It also helps your brain’s alertness, attention span, and concentration by the time you wake up.

10. Does stress affect your sleep level?

Yes, stress affects your sleep level. However, enough sleep It helps you effectively handle your stress.

Cognitive

11. Is getting more hours of sleep helping students in getting better grades at school?

Yes, getting more hours of sleeping help students in getting better grades at school. Students getting B marks or better get 17 to 33 minutes more sleep during school nights and 1.8 hours later on the weekends. They also go to bed 10 to 50 minutes earlier than students with C ratings and below.

12. What is the best time for the teenagers to go to bed to get better grades?

Teenagers, aged 16 to 19, who go to bed between 10 to 11 PM have the best grades on average.

13. Can you improve your memory with proper sleep?

Yes, you can improve your memory with poor sleep. An article from the Harvard Medical School showed that one of the benefits of sleep can happen in two stages, the non-REM and REM, and is associated with memory consolidation. Getting sufficient amount of sleep after learning new things or skills is important in retaining the information.

14. Can sleep boost your creativity?

Yes, sleep can boost your creativity. Other than consolidating memory, getting adequate sleep may result in more creativity, too.

According to the book Live 1,000 Years, the researchers from Boston College and Harvard University found that a good night’s sleep can consolidate, reorganize, restructure, and strengthen your memory’s emotional components to spur the creative process.

15. Does adequate sleep aids in clearer thinking?

Yes, adequate sleep aids in clearer thinking. The study conducted by Alhola and Polo-Kantola showed that getting adequate sleep results in clearer mind and better cognitive function during the day. Sleep deprivation can impair your working memory, attention, vigilance, memory, and decision-making.

Emotional

16. Is getting at least an extra hour of rest every night make you happier?

Yes, getting at least one extra hour of rest each night has an equivalent effect on your happiness as making an extra $60,000 per year for your salary.

17. Does your relationship improve because of quality sleep?

Yes, your relationship improves because of quality sleep. When you have enough sleep, you have a good sense of humor. If you have lesser sleep, you inhibit communication in your relationship and can cause more fights. Improving your sleep can also result in a healthier sex drive, especially for women.

Longer sleep is related to a greater sexual desire. Every additional hour you sleep can be equal to 14% increase in sexual arousal. When your brain and body are both rested, you are ready and more willing to perform intimate or sexual acts that can help your relationship flourish more.

18. Can sleep contribute to a better mood?

Yes, getting enough quality sleep can contribute to your mood. If you don’t have enough sleep, you are more prone to feeling more tired and stress. Healthy sleep can enhance your overall well-being while inadequate sleep can cause the feeling of irritability.

19. Is sleep a helpful tool to ward off depression?

Yes, sleep is a helpful tool to ward off depression. Sleep makes you less likely to suffer from it. According to the National Sleep Foundation, depression affects at least 20 million Americans. Problems such as sleep apnea and insomnia are contributing to depressive disorders. Getting a good night’s rest is the best way to fight the feelings of gloominess.

20. Can you feel better after getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep?

Yes, getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep can make you feel better. Sleep allows your mind and body to rest at night. When you are refreshed, it is easier to be pleasant. Sleeping 7 to 9 hours gives you energy and a more positive outlook.

Sleep is important to living a healthy life as well as functioning at your best. The health benefits of adequate sleep are more than just increasing your energy levels; it benefits your cognitive, physical, emotional, and psychological systems. Sleep should be your first priority to maintain your well-being and quality of life.

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How Obstructive Sleep Apnea is Connected to Bedwetting –

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and bedwetting can sometimes go hand in hand. Breathing while sleeping for adults with sleep apnea can be difficult. With decreased oxygen supply, the brain sends signals so that other organs can work harder to compensate. Consequently, there are fewer resources left to control other bodily functions including the bladder.

An article from the American Sleep Apnea Association states that during a sleep apnea episode, the soft structures in the throat relax and block the airway which can result in a chain of physiological events: the oxygen decreases, the carbon dioxide increases, the heart rate drops, the blood becomes more acidic, and the lung’s blood vessels constrict.

This article discusses the connection between obstructive sleep apnea as the cause of bedwetting in adults.

How Bedwetting Occurs

During a sleep apnea episode, the soft tissues in your neck close. The oxygen supply in your bloodstream decreases while the levels of carbon dioxide increase, making your blood more acidic. This results in a drop in your heart rate and contracting blood vessels in the lungs. It sends an alert to your brain telling your body to wake up and reopen your airways.

As your heart begins to race, the brain sends a signal to your body and tricks it to get rid of water and sodium through urination.

Cure for Bedwetting Caused by Sleep Apnea

Patients with undiagnosed sleep apnea who also experience wetting their beds can find it resolved once they become CPAP compliant. According to the study Adult Obstructive Sleep Apnea with Secondary Enuresis, bedwetting caused by obstructive sleep apnea can be corrected with CPAP. Decreasing the upper airway resistance corrects the factors in bedwetting caused by sleep apnea.

Once obstructive sleep apnea is identified and treated, followed by the use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), the bedwetting tendency of the adult can be resolved as well.

Bedwetting in adults is nothing to be ashamed of. It serves as a warning that something is not right and should be fixed as soon as possible. Get help by visiting a medical expert specializing in sleep disorders to address not only your sleep apnea but also your bedwetting problem.

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3 Common Ways Allergies Can Cause Sleep Apnea –

Allergy makes your life miserable. Allergy gives you an itchy and sick feeling. Other than these two, do you know that allergies are also a possible cause of your snoring or sleep apnea? How can allergies and sleep apnea be connected?

An allergic reaction can affect your sleep. It can be a reason why you are snoring, leading to sleep apnea. A study entitled Obstructive Apneas during Sleep in Patients with Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis showed that in patients with allergic rhinitis, sleep apneas are more frequent and longer compared to those without allergic conditions.

How can allergies cause sleep apnea? Let’s look at the three common reasons.

Allergies Block the Breathing Airways

Allergic reactions interfere with your normal and healthy sleep and can cause sleep apnea by creating congestion. This nasal congestion can dry out your mouth or block your breathing airways. Both of these factors can result in sleep apnea where you experience multiple breathing pauses as you sleep.

Allergies Swell the Tonsils or Adenoids

Allergies can also enlarge the tonsils or adenoids resulting in sleep apnea. Allergic reactions can trigger swelling of the tonsils or adenoids which may cause a blockage that can lead to sleep apnea.

Allergies Inflame the Nose and Throat

An allergic reaction can inflame the nose and throat. The inflammation may obstruct the airways.

Since the air that the body is taking in is not passing through the airway easily, there can be an obstruction that can lead to snoring. Inflammation of your nose and throat can lead to snoring which may trigger sleep apnea.

Allergies can affect your ability to get a good night’s sleep. The good news is that there are treatment options available to manage your allergies and have better sleep. Some of these treatments include over-the-counter medications that can help relieve your symptoms. Other options include decongestants, nasal sprays, and antihistamines.

If your allergies are interfering with your sleep, talk to your doctor. It is recommended to see a dentist specializing in sleep disorders for possible solutions.

3 Surprising Physical Benefits of Healthy Sleep –

The quality of your sleep helps determine the quality of life that you will have. It is important in maintaining your good health. A good night’s sleep is as important as eating healthy food and exercise. That is why it should not be underestimated.

To prove how important sleep is, here are 3 physical benefits that you will get from a good night’s sleep.

Promotes Healthy Weight

Sleep helps you achieve a healthy weight. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 35% of people struggling with their weight are sleep deprived.

A study concluded that people who sleep for shorter periods have 14.9% higher ghrelin levels and 15.5% lower leptin levels than those who sleep enough. When you have do not have enough sleep of 7 to 9 hours, the body makes lesser leptin and more ghrelin, leaving you hungrier and with increased appetite. Your body also produces more cortisol or the “stress hormone” that increases your appetite.

When you get enough sleep, you feel fuller, longer. The levels of leptin, hormones responsible for you to feel full, go up. On the other hand, the levels of ghrelin, appetite-inducing hormones, go down. Sleep helps your body balance the hormones in your body. If the levels of your hormones are in line, it makes you feel hungry only when you should feel hungry.

Sleep helps balance the hunger hormones in your body, promoting a healthier weight.

Enhances Your Skin

Sleep enhances your skin and prevents it from aging quickly. It is essential in a beauty routine. The Does Poor Sleep Quality Affect Skin Aging study posits that chronic poor sleep quality is connected with the increased signs of aging, diminished skin barrier function, and lowered satisfaction with physical appearance. People who sleep for 7 to 9 hours have lower signs of skin aging and have a better perception of their appearances.

As you sleep, your body repairs and recovers itself. The skin makes new collagen to prevent your skin from sagging. The more quality sleep you get, the more collagen your skin can make, leaving your skin plumper and less likely to have wrinkles.

While you sleep, your body boosts the blood flow to your skin, giving you a healthy glow once you wake up. It also minimizes your dark circles and discoloration under the eyes. Sleep also acts like a natural anti-inflammatory that helps in fighting acne and immune-related skin irritations.

Sleep helps in the production of collagen in your skin to make it plumper and with fewer wrinkles. It also helps in blood flow to prevent dark circles, discoloration, acne, and skin irritations.

Stimulates Your Sex Life

The better rest you have, the better sex you will have. According to the National Sleep Foundation poll, 26% of people say that their sex life suffers because of sleepiness.

Side effects of lack of sleep include declining mood and decreased sex drive. Men who do not get enough sleep due to obstructive sleep apnea have low testosterone levels. Testosterone helps not only in building muscle mass and bones, but it also stimulates sex drive.

The Impact of Sleep on Female Sexual Response and Behavior: A Pilot Study concluded that getting enough sleep improves a healthy sexual desire and genital response in women. An hour increase in sleep can increase the likelihood of a woman to engage in sexual activity with her partner by 14%.

Sleep is one of the best ways to have better sex. It stimulates the couples’ sex lives by increasing men’s testosterone levels and women’s genital response to increasing engagement in sexual activities.

The physical benefits of sleep are extensive. They can make a big difference not only in the quality of your life, but also in the length of your life. Place sleep as a top priority to promote healthy ways to maintain weight, younger looking skin, and better sex life.

9 Treatment Options to Cure Your Insomnia –

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that interferes with your daily life. It can make it hard for you to fall asleep, stay asleep, get back to sleep, and wake up at the right time, and .

Insomnia can make you feel fatigued or unrefreshed during the day. A lot of people experience brief periods of difficulty in sleeping, but if your insomnia becomes a regular occurrence, you should ask for help.

Here are 9 treatments for insomnia to help you get a good night’s sleep.

Lifestyle Changes

Improving your lifestyle could make a big difference in your insomnia. Before you consider medications and other techniques, examine your lifestyle first and see if what are the adjustments that you can make.

Limit your bedroom activities. Make your bedroom a no-work place. Once your mind is set to work in your bedroom, it can make it difficult for you to sleep. This method conditions your mind that your room is only a place for sleeping and not for other activities.

Quit drinking coffee. Caffeine could stay in your system for up to 12 hours. Skip drinking tea, soda, and coffee, even decaf.

A study from the University of Florida showed that depending on the brand of the coffee, five to ten cups of decaf can contain as much caffeine as a cup of a regular coffee. Caffeine does not only affect the quantity of your sleep but also the quality. It can make your sleep lighter, less restorative, and less fragmented.

Set a sleep schedule that you will follow. Sleeping irregular hours every night can confuse your internal clock or circadian rhythm. If you have a regular bed and wake-up time, your body can stay on track.

Lifestyle changes can improve your overall sleep quantity and quality. It can also reduce the time it takes for you to fall asleep without the use of medicines.

Relaxation Techniques

Another treatment option for insomnia is to practice relaxation techniques, also known as progressive muscle relaxation. These techniques can teach a person to tense and relax the muscles in the different areas the body.

This process can help calm your body and induce sleep. Relaxation techniques include mindfulness, breathing exercises, guided imagery, and meditation techniques.

Relaxation techniques work to aid you in falling asleep and also to return to sleep quickly even if you wake up in the middle of the night.

Stimulus Control

Stimulus control is another way to treat insomnia. The primary goal of stimulus control is to reduce the anxiety and the conditioned arousal that a person may feel when attempting to go to bed.

During a stimulus control therapy, you will learn to: go to bed only when you feel sleepy, get out of bed when you cannot sleep; use your bedroom only for sleep or sex; rise at the same time every morning; and avoid naps.

A study entitled Stimulus-control: Nonpharmacologic Treatment for Insomnia concluded that family physicians could use stimulus control in treating patients with insomnia. Instead of using hypnotics, this non-pharmacologic approach treatment can help motivate patients.

Stimulus control can break the association of the bed or the bedroom as a place of frustration or dread for people with insomnia. It helps you to view sleep in a positive light.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Another insomnia treatment option is to undergo cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This therapy includes behavior, action, and thought changes that hinder your ability to sleep well.

CBT also helps you develop habits that promote a healthy sleeping pattern. It develops a behavioral element that establishes your “pro-sleep” routine by having a regular bed and wake-up time, getting out of bed 20 minutes after you wake up, and avoiding afternoon naps.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is another effective insomnia treatment since it makes falling asleep and staying asleep an automatic and natural routine.

Sleep Restriction Therapy

Sleep restriction therapy (SRT) is a non-drug treatment option to address insomnia. This therapy limits the time spent in bed and the actual time spent sleeping. It increases sleep efficiency by prolonging your sleep time.

Restricting the time you spend in bed creates mild sleep deprivation that can promote earlier, more effective and deeper sleep.

If you are routinely spending 8 hours in bed each night but only sleep for a total of 6 hours, the initial time allocation for SRT is 6 hours. You are forbidden to go to bed early, to get up late, or to take naps.

The therapy’s goal is for people with insomnia to sleep the entire time that they are in bed. Once the goal is achieved and you feel sleepy during the daytime, your sleep time allocation will slowly increase by 15 minutes at a time.

Biofeedback

Biofeedback is another technique used to eliminate insomnia. This method allows you to observe biological signs such as muscle tension and heart rate and shows you how to adjust them to help you sleep. This will help identify the patterns that affect your sleep.

This treatment involves the sleep specialist taking a biofeedback device to your home to record your daily patterns. It uses a simple electronic device that monitors your breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension. This detects what your body is doing under different conditions.

Biofeedback helps you get in tune with your body and know how it reacts under certain conditions.

Over-the-Counter Sleeping Pills

Over-the-Counter (OTC) or nonprescription sleeping aids can also be used to help with your sleep problem. Most OTC sleeping pills contain antihistamines. Antihistamines are commonly used for allergies, but some can also cause drowsiness and are marketed as sleeping pills.

Diphenhydramine and doxylamine succinate are sedating antihistamines sold as sleeping pills. All-natural sleep pills such as melatonin and valerian can also aid in your sleep. These supplements help control your natural sleep and wake cycle.

Over-the-Counter sleeping pills are commonly used as short-term insomnia solutions to help you sleep faster.

Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines or benzos are other types of sleeping medication. Benzos increase the level of the brain’s gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Benzodiazepines trigger the production of GABA to depress the brain. This will help promote the feeling of relaxation and sedation.

Benzodiazepines are also antidepressants and are given to people who are battling anxiety-causing insomnia.

Z-Drugs

Also known as nonbenzodiazepines, Z-drugs are another type of prescription sleep aid. These medicines include Ambien, Lunesta, and Sonata.

Same with benzos, z-drugs also boost the levels of GABA to calm the activities in the brain. These sleep aids contain calming effects that treat insomnia and depression.

Z-drugs can cause a person to feel drowsy and dizzy, causing sleepiness.

There are a lot of treatment options for insomnia. You may try medical and natural remedies for insomnia first to help treat your sleep disorder. Before you try any of these treatments, make sure that you have a doctor, like a dentist with proper knowledge and training in sleep problems, assess you in order to help treat your insomnia.