Julian Center

How Sleep Problems Affect Your Child’s Speech Problems –

Unlike adults, children need more than nine hours of sleep every night. Longer sleeping hours are needed for the regeneration of neurons in the brain’s cerebral cortex. When learning, this area of the brain is active. Activity is reduced in the cerebral cortex if a child suffers from sleep deprivation. As a result, children may mispronounce words and struggle to find the right words.

How do sleep problems contribute to speech problems in kids? Let us find out.

Impairs Speech Processing

Loss of sleep can cause a delay in children’s ability to process speech. A study by Buckhalt, Ph. D. showed how decreasing children’s sleep can hinder speech processing.

A speech perception task required children to identify the beginning sounds of syllables. While performing a task, electrodes on the scalp-recorded electrical activity in five areas of the brain related to speech and language. There were significant differences found in these areas. Sleep-deprived children showed slower response rates. A reduction in sleep time, even for an hour, weakens a child’s ability to process speech.

Affects Speech Perception

Sleep loss can make children mispronounce words. Sleep deprivation alters the first stages of cognitive functioning in children. Research from the University of Louisville discovered that even mild sleep loss in school-age children produces deficits in their cognitive development and functioning.

A test was conducted on 32 children ranging from six to seven years of age to measure their neurocognitive development. These children listened to computer-generated speech syllables such as /ba/, /da/ and /ga/. Results showed that children who did not get a sufficient amount of sleep failed to phonetically code the speech sounds.

If a child is sleep-deprived, it alters his speech perception. Consequently, the child struggles to make certain sounds correctly.

Triggers Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is more common in adults, but it also occurs in children. It is a chronic sleep disorder that is often characterized by sudden attacks of sleep or overwhelming daytime drowsiness.

If children suffer from narcolepsy, they will experience a sudden loss of muscle tone. A study published in Sleep Review: The Journal for Sleep Specialists showed that narcolepsy can result in lapses in speech or the usage of irrelevant words or phrases. Reduced muscle tone can lead to slurred speech.

Narcoleptic children tend to suffer from slurred speech as well due to loss of muscle tone.

Promotes Apraxia

Sleep disorders contribute to the development of apraxia in children. Apraxia is defined as a type of motor speech disorder that affects the body’s ability to produce speech.

A study by Caspari, Strand, Kotagal, and Berggvist discovered the association between apraxia and obstructive sleep apnea. A 6-year-old nonverbal child, who experienced seizures and severe apraxia of speech, got treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). After the procedure, he experienced a significant reduction in seizures and rapid growth in functional speech production. The study establishes the importance of definitive diagnosis and early and more aggressive treatment of (OSA) for children to improve motor speech disorders.

The improvement in functional speech production shows how sleep disorders may play a role in the development of speech problems in kids.

Prompts Stuttering

One of the consequences of sleep apnea is stuttering. A study by the University of California revealed that 40% of patients with sleep apnea suffered from sleep disorders since childhood. The  MRI scans of the stuttering patients illustrated loss of brain tissues due to sleep apnea. The tissue loss occurred primarily in the regions that control speech production, contributing to speech impairments like stuttering since childhood. Sleep apnea damages regions of the brain that regulates breathing and speech, causing children to stutter.

Be Careful of What You Eat, Breath, and Touch: Allergies Can Cause Insomnia –

Allergies can destroy your perfectly good day. Eating foods that you are allergic to or exposing yourself to dust and pollen can surely make you suffer from day and night.

Allergies from pollen, pets, and dust affect 20 to 50% of Americans. These allergies cause common symptoms such as runny nose and sneezing that causes difficulty in sleeping or insomnia.

What are the different things that can cause allergies? Let’s cite the different factors that can lead to allergy and difficulty sleeping.

Food

Allergies from food can cause insomnia. This insomnia is also known as food-allergy insomnia.

Children and adults can suffer from food-allergy insomnia. About 15 million people in the United States suffer from losing sleep because of the food they ate. 9 million of these affected individuals are adults while 6 million are children under 18 years old.

Increased blood sugar levels because of food allergies cause you to stay awake during the night. When you consume something that you are allergic to, the body fails to properly digest it. As a result, the undigested proteins go through your intestinal wall where the immune system identifies these as foreign bodies. Your body reacts by releasing cytokines as well as antibodies known as IGA and IGG to attack these foreign bodies and cause inflammation.

The inflammation travels courses through your body until cytokines disrupt your nervous system. Once your nervous system is affected, you may experience anxiety and depression causing insomnia.

When you eat foods that you are allergic to, the body produces cytokines and antibodies that cause inflammation leading to insomnia.

Pollen

Pollen allergy is another cause of insomnia. When you breathe something you are allergic to like pollen, allergic rhinitis can occur.

Seasonal allergic rhinitis also called hay fever occurs in the summer and spring. During these seasons, pollen is transferred from plants by the wind, insects, birds, or other animals, causing the pollen to scatter everywhere. This can cause misery and suffering to people with pollen and seasonal allergies.

Allergies to pollen create problems in your nasal and sinus passages like itching, congestion, and swelling. These problems can prompt difficulty to breathe during the day and more during the night. The post-nasal drip leads to constant coughing and throat clearing that can interrupt your sleep.

Since pollen allergy can cause nasal and breathing problems, you can experience coughing and throat clearing that can lead to insomnia.

Pets

Allergies from pets can also trigger insomnia. Your pet’s dead skin, as well as its fur, urine, and saliva, are considered indoor allergens.

Allergic reactions from pets can result in the production of histamine. Histamine produces irritation and swelling of your upper airways. It can also cause complications in breathing that lead to difficulties in sleeping and insomnia.

Your pet can cause allergies that lead to swelling and irritation of your upper airways and breathing complications that can end up in insomnia.

Dust Mites

Allergy from dust mites is another risk factor for insomnia. The Poor Sleep is Highly Associated with House Dust Mites Allergic Rhinitis in Adults and Children study concluded that people who have allergies to house dust mites experience difficulties falling asleep.

100,000 up to ten million dust mites can live in an average mattress. These insects breed and multiply quickly. Their waste matter contains protein that causes allergy.

Allergy from dust mites or perennial allergic rhinitis can cause serious disturbance to your sleep. It can cause you to sneeze and cough constantly which will hinder you from falling asleep at night.

Perennial allergic rhinitis can cause insomnia because of constant sneezing and coughing.

Mold

Mold can also cause allergies that hinder you from having a good night’s sleep. You can get allergies from mold hiding in damp areas like your bathroom, basement, laundry room, and carport.

Allergies from mold can trigger respiratory issues that can lead to skin irritations, wheezing, and coughing. Like a food allergy, once you inhale mold spores, the body recognizes these as foreign objects and develops antibodies to fight them. Developing antibodies prompts your immune system to react. This reaction can trigger the release of histamine that results in sneezing, shortness of breath, and severe asthma leading to insomnia.

Mold allergy can also lead to a severe asthma attack, shortness of breath, and tightness in the chest which can cause insomnia.

Household Fragrance

The scent coming from household products and fragrances can trigger allergies resulting in difficulty in sleeping.

Fragrances coming from soaps, air fresheners, and toilet cleaners can trigger symptoms of allergies such as nasal congestion, runny nose, post-nasal drip, and sneezing. These symptoms can make you feel uncomfortable, making it difficult for you to get to sleep at night.

Allergies from scents and fragrances also result in the inflammation of the mucous membrane that lines the nasal passages. Once the lining swells, it disrupts the proper flow of oxygen into your body and lungs, making you gasp for air. Gasping for air can keep you from falling asleep.

Household fragrances bring about allergies. It can result in the swelling of your mucous membrane causing difficulty in breathing, sneezing, and nasal congestion leading to insomnia.

Allergies Should Be Treated Immediately

You can get allergies from simple things such as food, pollen, pets, dust mites, molds, and household fragrances. These allergies can lead to uncomfortable symptoms that cause difficulties in sleeping. If you suspect that you have allergies and you are experiencing insomnia, see a physician or a sleep specialist immediately. Have an allergy screening to identify your allergies and get the best treatment for allergies to avoid resulting in insomnia.

7 Common Questions About Undergoing a Sleep Study Answered –

If the sleep expert referred you to go to a laboratory or sleep center to undergo a sleep study, there can be different reasons behind it such as chronic snoring or sleep disorders. However, some patients who are yet to undergo a sleep study have concerns whether they can sleep comfortably in a different environment. Others hesitant to undergo the procedure with the fear that it can be painful. These are legitimate and common concerns of patients about to undergo their first sleep study. In this article, we discuss the importance of undergoing a sleep study, what happens during the test, and other common questions about a sleep study.

1. What is a Sleep Study?

A sleep study is a procedure that measures how well you sleep and what are the sleep problems that you are suffering from. It also tells how severe your sleep problem is.

A sleep study helps the sleep expert in determining your breathing, movements, and habits while you sleep. To get the data needed, electrodes on wires are attached to your scalp, temples, legs, and chest while a small clip is placed on either your finger or ear to monitor your blood’s oxygen levels.

These sensors are connected from your body to a computer. It is used to monitor your rapid eye movements, brain waves, oxygen levels, snoring, breathing patterns, body position, muscle tone, heart rate, and leg movements.

2. How Long Do You Need to Stay in the Sleep Laboratory?

Most laboratories require you to stay for at least seven hours to get enough results for the sleep expert to analyze.

3. What Does a Sleep Laboratory Look Like?

Once you arrive at the sleep laboratory or sleep center, you might be surprised that it does not look like a regular hospital or facility. Instead, a sleep laboratory looks like a hotel room. These rooms are made as comfortable as possible to allow the patients to be more relaxed as possible.

There are video cameras around each room to record everything that is happening while you sleep. Since these rooms are mimicking the same comfort that you feel when you are in your own room or hotel, most sleep experts and technicians advise to wear regular pajamas and adjust the temperature according to your liking. The rooms are also kept dark to help you fall asleep.

4. Does the Test Hurt?

The sleep study process is non-invasive and completely painless. The sleep laboratory is dark, quiet, and conducive to sleeping. However, the wires and electrodes attached your body and head can affect your sleep.

5. What Happens If You Cannot Fall Asleep?

Almost every patient falls asleep while undergoing a sleep study, although some take more time than other people. The sleep technician makes sure that you feel relax and comfortable during the duration of the test for you to fall asleep.

However, if you still cannot sleep, the sleep technician and specialist may recommend undergoing a home sleep test, instead. This sleep study is administered at home, where you can sleep in your own bed in a familiar surrounding.

6. What Data Can Experts Gather from the Sleep Study?

The data that a sleep study collects can provide a lot of information about your sleep patterns including:

• Breathing rate, blood oxygen levels, and heart rate while you sleep which may show that you have sleep apnea.
• Leg movements that disrupt your sleep that may indicate periodic limb movement disorder.
• Settings for PAP or CPAP.
• Unusual behavior or movements while you are sleep which may be signs of another sleep disorder.

7. What Happens After the Test?

The sleep technician wakes you up, removes all the electrodes, and have you fill out some paperwork before you leave. The results of the study will not be shared with you immediately since spending a night at a sleep laboratory produces about 1,000 pages of data. The trained sleep technician initially interprets the data and hands it over to the sleep specialist for further review and interpretation.

The sleep expert determines whether you are suffering from a sleep disorder and what that problem is. The sleep expert also comes up with the best treatment option for your problem.

It might take up to two weeks before you receive the results of the sleep study. Your sleep doctor also sets a follow-up appointment to discuss the results, determine if you are suffering from a sleep disorder, and offer possible treatment options if required.

The idea of a sleep study is to completely analyze and determine whether you are suffering from a sleep disorder or not. It is conducted in a sleep laboratory which resembles a hotel room to make you feel more comfortable and sleep better. The test lasts for at least seven hours and is completely painless.

After undergoing a sleep study, the sleep technician forwards the result to the sleep expert for further review and interpretation. It usually takes up to two weeks before your sleep expert sets a follow-up appointment to discuss the result. From the diagnosis and data provided by the sleep study, your doctor determines if you are suffering from a sleep disorder and what treatment you should undergo.

How Sleep-Disordered Breathing Can Severely Damage Your Body and Brain –

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is a broad term describing breathing problems that occur when a person is asleep. It can range from chronic loud snoring to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). In the United States, nearly 3 in 10 men from 30 – 70 years old suffer from moderate to severe SDB. If left untreated, these types of sleep-disordered breathing may cause irreparable damage to the brain.

In this article, we look at the forms, harmful effects, and signs of SDB.

Forms of SDB in Sleep Apnea

Experts define sleep apnea as a disorder marked by very shallow breathing or repeated interruptions in a person’s breathing while sleeping. Research reveals that this disordered breathing pattern can occur hundreds of times per night, often without the person’s recollection. It happens when the person’s airway collapses and oxygen is cut off from the lungs.

Sleep apnea manifests in three ways:

1. Obstructive Sleep Apnea

In obstructive sleep apnea, the brain tells the body to breathe, but because there is airway obstruction, the person has difficulty breathing. The obstruction happens when the throat muscles intermittently relax and block the airway during sleep. The obstruction also makes the chest and diaphragm muscles work harder to open the obstructive airway and pull some air into the lungs.

2. Central Sleep Apnea (CSA)

In this type of sleep apnea, the brain fails to tell the body to breathe. The struggle in breathing is not caused by any airway obstruction but by a disruption in the central nervous system. The disconnect between the brain and the lungs results in a state where the body forgets to breathe.

3. Complex Sleep Apnea (CompSA)

In complex sleep apnea, the person suffers from a combination of OSA and CSA. CompSA sufferers experience a partial or full collapse of the throat resulting in an obstruction. Also, the brain fails to send signals to organs that regulate breathing.

Harmful Effects of SDB on the Brain

Sleep apnea sufferers fail to go through regenerative sleep cycles completely. Instead, breathing stops in mid-cycle for about ten seconds for up to 120 times or more in one hour. As a result, the brain starves for oxygen. Oxygen deprivation damages the brain. In some cases, the injury is so severe that repair is unlikely.

SDB is known to cause damage to the following parts of the brain:

Medullary and Pontine

These sites are responsible for some respiratory and cardiovascular functions. The injury caused by SDB can lead to blood pressure and respiratory issues.

Hypothalamus

This area of the brain is responsible for metabolic and hormonal regulation. The injury here may cause disruptions in hormonal secretions and can lead to modification of insulin production. The imbalances may contribute to the development of diabetes.

Hippocampus

Experts associate this site with memory. Damage in this area can lead to short-term memory impairments

Symptoms of SDB

Watch out for these signs of sleep-disordered breathing. You or someone you know might be suffering from “sleep apnea.”If you or someone you know may be suffering from sleep-disordered breathing or sleep apnea, get professional help immediately. A dentist specializing in sleep medicine can help with this disorder.

Sleep Myth: Sleep is a Passive Activity –

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 and misunderstandings surround sleep. One of the famous myths, in particular, is the idea that sleep is a passive activity.

Is sleep something you do passively? Let’s find out.

The Myth

Many believe that it is a passive activity because sleeping appears to be an absence of consciousness. People agree that it is a passive activity since you are just lying on your bed and doing nothing. Waking up and doing day-to-day tasks is thought of as active. Many view sleep as a separate, passive state.

The Fact

Sleep is an active state. This is one place where looks can be deceiving. As your body remains inactive, it follows a complex sequence of events with a regular and cyclical pattern every night.

Countless homeostatic processes are going on while the body sleeps. Delta waves increase as you sleep. Your endocrine system also boosts the production of hormones and prolactin, which are needed to maintain a healthy immune system.

Also, sleeping helps both the brain and the body to rejuvenate. It bolsters the immune system and helps regulate mood. Sleep reduces stress as well.

Don’t forget about your dreams. While sleeping, the brain cycles through REM and Non-REM sleep stages. Dreams take place during both REM and Non-REM sleep, though dreams tend to be more vivid during Non-REM. Dreams are important in consolidating your long-term memory and building your neural connections.

Verdict

The myth that “Sleep is a Passive Activity” is false. Since the brain and the body both work as you sleep, sleep is considered active rather than passive. Sleep is essential to brain health. Therefore, it is crucial to establish and follow good sleep hygiene.

Sleep Myth: Counting Sheep Helps You Fall Asleep –

Sleep is vital as we spend almost one-third of our lives doing it. There are a lot of myths and information about sleep – enough to make your head spin.

Why are sleep myths widespread? Why do people believe them? It may be the fact that one in three people in the United States has sleep problems. If you have a hard time falling or maintaining your sleep, you believe in almost anything that might help you get to bed. Perhaps this is why the belief that counting sheep helps you fall asleep is popular among children and even adults.

The Myth

When it comes to trouble falling asleep, people have different remedies. Some swear by exercising or drinking warm milk, while others go for counting sheep. Counting sheep may be the oldest sleep myth there is. There is a theory that shepherds used to count their sheep at night before falling asleep to make sure that they were all in their field.

The Fact

Does counting sheep work and help you fall asleep? Researchers from Oxford University conducted different tests on volunteer insomniacs. The volunteers were asked to visualize different scenarios as they tried to go to sleep.

The study showed that it took the volunteers who pictured images of counting sheep 20 minutes longer to fall asleep than those who imagined an engaging and relaxing scene like a waterfall or a beach.

The success of imagery distraction kept the participants from re-engaging with their thoughts, concerns, and worries before sleeping. It may be that counting sheep is simply too boring to do for a very long time while imagining a beach or a stream is engrossing enough to concentrate on.

Verdict

The belief that counting sheep helps you fall asleep is not true. In fact, it can prolong the time it takes to fall asleep. Instead of counting sheep, practice some relaxing imagery. Also, sticking to a fixed bedtime and wake-up time can help you maintain good sleep hygiene. If your body and mind are accustomed to sleeping at a particular time, it is easier to fall asleep faster. Finding a comfortable temperature, a room that’s cool, is the most conducive to sleep.

Sleep Apnea: The New Silent Killer –

Sleep apnea means sleeping without breathing. The definition sounds like a title straight out of a horror flick. Unfortunately, the “nightmare” title is not far from what’s happening in reality. This breathing disorder truly is a silent killer.

More than 22 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea. What’s worse, up to 80% of these people don’t even know they have a breathing disorder. Millions of people go to bed at night unaware that they do so with their brains and body starving for oxygen.

In this article, we explore the types, effects, and symptoms of sleep apnea.

What is Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a disorder marked by very shallow breathing or repeated interruptions in a person’s breathing (apneas) while sleeping.

Research reveals that these apneas can occur hundreds of times per night, often without the person’s recollection.

Apneas are most likely to happen when a person is about the enter a state of sleep known as REM. Snoring or obstruction of the airway usually awakens the individual.

This constant awakening of up to 60 or more times an hour disrupts the healing and rejuvenating effects of sleep.

As a result, the brain and body are oxygen starved. Deprived of oxygen, those who have sleep apnea often suffer from other chronic or fatal diseases.

What are the Types of Sleep Apnea

There are two types of sleep apnea:

1. Central Sleep Apnea

Here, the brain fails to tell the body to breathe. There is no airway obstruction. Instead, the central nervous system causes breathing disruption. The disconnect between the brain and the lungs results in a state where the body forgets to breathe.

2. Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Here, the brain does tell the body to breathe. But because there is an obstruction in the airway, the person has difficulty breathing.

There are several causes of this blockage. One common cause is when the base of the tongue wholly or partially blocks the airway.

Sleep Apnea Effects

Because of oxygen deprivation, sleep apnea sufferers are susceptible to multiple diseases. On top of that, they must also deal with the effects of sleep disturbance as they wake up multiple times a night trying to catch their breath.

Here is a list of some of these adverse effects:

1. Poor performance – Disrupted sleep does not allow the brain and body to benefit from the healing and rejuvenating effects of sleep fully. As a result, the brain is foggy. This brain fog results in inadequate performance.
2. ADD/ADHD – Children who suffer from sleep apnea may be at greater risk for ADD or ADHD. An oxygen-starved brain fails to develop, which may lead to attention disorders.
3. Depression – Breathing disruption reduces a person’s quality and quantity of sleep. This reduced sleep negatively affects the brain’s neurochemicals. These chemical changes can trigger anxiety, irritability, and depression.
4. Dementia – Studies suggest that oxygen deprivation to the brain and insufficient deep sleep may be contributing factors for dementia in adults.
5. Cancer – Research published in 2012 discovered a link between sleep apnea and death related to cancer. Insufficient oxygen stimulates the body to form new blood vessels to harvest more oxygen. The newly formed blood vessels feed growing tumors with oxygen and nutrients, enabling cancer cells to thrive.
6. Cardiac Arrest – One study tracked over 10,000 Americans diagnosed with sleep apnea. During a five-year period, 142 participants died of sudden cardiac arrest. Those who died shared three common predictors: age of 60 or older, oxygen saturation of less than 78 percent when sleeping, and experiencing over 20 episodes of breathing disruption per hour when sleeping.
7. Diabetes – In 2014, research conducted with 8,500 participants discovered a link between obstructive sleep apnea and diabetes.

Sleep Apnea Symptoms

Be on the lookout for these signs. You or someone you know might be suffering from sleep apnea:

• Loud Snoring
• Excessive 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

If you have these symptoms, or someone you know has them, we encourage you to get professional help as soon as possible.

Conclusion

Millions of people go to sleep every night without even knowing that they suffer from the silent killer known as sleep apnea.  If you have the symptoms mentioned above, you cannot afford to wait any longer. Can sleep apnea be cured? Yes, it can be cured. Get professional help now to get a complete diagnosis and sleep apnea treatment.

Myths abound in areas not fully understood by science and sleep is a good example. Even though it is an essential aspect of life, we’ve only begun to comprehend the fundamentals of sleep. Science is making progress, but myths still pervade. One myth is the idea that people can catch up on sleep.
Do you think sleep debt is something you can mend? Let’s find out.

The Myth

When you stay up late, you lose precious hours of sleep. An hour or two of lost sleep can quickly pile up over the course of the week.
A common belief is that you can make up for lost hours by sleeping more when time permits, usually over the weekend. A lot of people believe that it is effective. They feel recharged after spending more hours in bed.

The Fact

If your week becomes busy and you lose sleep, you accumulate sleep debt. In layman’s terms, it is the difference between the amount of sleep that your body needs and the amount of sleep that you get. Such lost sleep can result in impaired driving, reduced cognitive abilities, and reduced vision. It can also cause certain diseases such as obesity, heart disease, and insulin resistance.
Sleeping more hours when possible can help in rejuvenating a person. However, it does not eliminate all the drawbacks of insufficient sleep. Dozing off for a few extra hours can reduce stress and daytime sleepiness. Nevertheless, it will not help improve certain cognitive functions such as the ability to stay focused. It can also confuse your internal body clock and might lead to Sunday night insomnia – Difficulty sleeping on Sunday nights around bedtime.
Some studies have also shown that settling sleep debt does not fully restore the body. The effect might only last for a short time, as little as 6 hours once you wake up. Afterward, sleep deprivation rears its ugly head in the form of slow reaction times.

Verdict

The idea that people can catch up on sleep is not true. Although sleeping for a few hours can give the feeling of rejuvenation, you will still feel the effects of sleep deprivation after six hours. Sleeping at least 7 to 9 hours per day is recommended.

Even though we’ve been exploring the mysteries of sleep for thousands of years, we know little about it. As a result, various theories and myths have come to life in an attempt to demystify sleep. One of the famous myths is the idea that anyone can survive with four hours of rest every day.

Do you think you can survive if you sleep for four hours on a daily basis? Let’s find out.

The Myth

Can some people survive with only 4 hours of sleep every night? A lot of people believe that sleeping at least 4 hours a day can help them get by. A neuroscientist named Dr. Ying-Hui Fu said that it is rare, but it can happen.

The Fact

Ying-Hui Fu discovered the short-sleepers. These are people who naturally wake up after sleeping for only 4 hours. These short-sleepers have enough energy to help them power through the day. They make up about 1% of the entire population. Famous people such as Elisabeth Holmes CEO of Theranos, Marissa Mayer CEO of Yahoo, and even former United States President Barack Obama rarely get a full night of shuteye. They needed only a short amount of rest every night instead of the recommended 7 to 9 hours.

This rare sleeping habit is linked to genetics. These people also avoid caffeine and don’t need it to stay awake and feel energized.

However, more and more scientific studies are now showing the correlation between insufficient or poor-quality sleep and different diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and depression. Insufficient sleep can also decrease the body’s ability to use insulin, which can lead to the development of more dangerous diabetes.

People with both poorly controlled diabetes and sleep apnea had improvements in blood sugar control after treating the sleep apnea. Also, too little shuteye can decrease your growth hormone secretion which can lead to obesity.

Verdict

Can people survive with just four hours of sleep every day? It is possible, but only for 1% of the population. For most people, this is not true. You need to have sufficient sleep to stay focused and energized. More importantly, good quality and quantity sleep wards off diabetes, high blood pressure, and other possible diseases.

Sleep Myth: Watching TV Helps You Fall Asleep –

Sleep plays a vital role in keeping your good health and well-being. Getting enough quality and amount of sleep can help protect your physical and mental health as well as improve your overall quality of life.

There are so many pervasive myths about sleep. People hear them frequently, and some may even practice them. These myths are sometimes known as “old wives’ tales” and people have been following them for generations. However, the information is often incorrect or dangerous. One present-day myth is that watching TV helps you fall asleep.

Do you think watching television helps you snooze? Let’s find out.

The Myth

If you enjoy watching TV before you go to sleep, you are not alone. The National Sleep Foundation released its annual poll results which showed that watching television is one of the most popular pre-sleep activities of Americans, especially among adults. In a study that surveyed 844 adults, results reveal that 31 percent prefer TV as a sleep aid.

The Fact

Research reveals that watching TV before you go to bed can cause serious health problems including depression. A 2016 study shows that using media as a sleep aid for adults can increase fatigue. Moreover, these people received high scores on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index indicating poor sleep. Another study by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine shows that watching television before bedtime can contribute to chronic sleep debt.

One of the problems with watching TV before bedtime is the bright blue light that the screen emits. When exposed to blue light, your brain will stop producing melatonin, the sleep hormone. It will make you feel more awake and alert. The blue light can also delay your REM sleep, which can lead to morning drowsiness. Even if you think your sleep is fine, you are not getting the quality of sleep that you need.

Verdict

The idea of watching TV before you go to sleep might be a common practice for a lot of people. Nevertheless, dozing off in front of the television doesn’t actually help you fall asleep. Aside from the health problems loss of sleep can create, it will also keep you awake and alert. To get a good night’s sleep, you can wind down by reading a book, chatting with your partner or writing in a journal.