(410) 729-6794
Around 70 million Americans suffer from either sleep disorders or sleep deprivation. Conditions like stress and sleep apnea can prevent people from getting the productive rest that enables them to go about their day in an effective manner. In fact, getting unproductive sleep can have consequences on a person’s behavior, mood, and ability to function.
How Does Sleep Work?
When you lay down at night, it takes the body a few minutes to enter a state of sleep. What follows is a series of stages. Stage 1 is the first five to ten minutes when your body is simply at rest. Stage 2 is the preparation for the deep sleep stages of Stage 3 and Stage 4, also known as REM sleep. Productive sleep is when you make it through all four stages without being interrupted.
If you wake up at any point during one of the four stages, the cycle becomes interrupted, but you don’t have to wake up completely for the cycle to be considered disrupted. Outside factors can lead to cycle interruption, such as stress, noises, or physical conditions like sleep apnea.
Why Is Productive Sleep So Important?
Humans need a full dose of productive sleep at night for the body and mind to relax and rest for the following day. If the cycle is interrupted for any reason, it has demonstrable physical and psychological effects on mood and behavior.
People who miss out on productive sleep cycles often go into the following day feeling moody, irritable, and fatigued. They’ll likely have trouble learning new information and have an increased craving for carbs.
How To Sleep Your Best
Limit your consumption of alcohol and caffeine, as their respective depressing and stimulating effects can alter your body chemistry and make falling asleep difficult. Make sure to turn off all lights in the room, especially TV and computer screens. Above all else, set a schedule to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.
If you still struggle with getting restful sleep, or have been experiencing disruptive snoring episodes, you may be struggling with a form of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a condition that disrupts your breathing pattern, either from your throat muscles relaxing too much or your brain sending improper nerve signals.
Sleep apnea can be treated with a variety of therapies and equipment. CPAP machines can be used to help move air through the mouth, keeping the airway open and preventing it from closing. Other appliances like mandibular advancement devices (MADs) can hold the jaw in place to prevent the throat from becoming blocked. Both of these help you get restful, productive sleep.
Our sleep specialists are here to help you diagnose and work through these symptoms. Above all, we strive to protect your overall health, beginning with ensuring that you’re getting the productive rest your body needs to thrive. Call us today at Chesapeake Sleep Center to learn more and to schedule a consultation.
Chesapeake Sleep Center
Phone: 410-729-6794
Url: https://chesapeakesleepapnea.com/
7711 Quarterfield Road, Suite C-1
Glen Burnie, MD 21061
