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Good sleep is critical to good health. And regular disruptions to your nightly rest can wreak havoc on both your body and your mental health.
Find out more about common sleep disorders and disruptions, as well as the good habits you need to get a restful night’s sleep from the experts at UPMC.
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string(2828) "Think you are functioning normally on less than eight hours of sleep per night? The odds are that you are setting yourself up for a number of potentially negative side effects.
According to sleep specialists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, most people require seven to eight hours of sleep to function optimally and avoid health risks.
Consistently failing to get enough sleep can affect memory, learning, productivity and emotional stability, as well as your physical health.
Day-to-day effects of too little sleep involve mental processes like learning, memory, judgment, and problem-solving. People who are well rested are better able to learn a task and more likely to remember what they learned. With insufficient sleep, thinking slows, it is harder to focus and pay attention, and people are more likely to make poor decisions and take undue risks. You can avoid sleep disruption by:
- Maintaining a regular sleep schedule
- Avoiding late-in-day naps and caffeine
- Reducing distractions from light, noise, and pets
RELATED: Counting Sheep? How Sleep Deprivation Affects Your Brain
The Risks of Sleep Deprivation
Inadequate sleep can affect your body in a major way. More specifically, lack of quality sleep can lead to increased risk for:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Heart disease
- Hypertension
- Cancer
Poor sleep is also a risk factor for depression and substance abuse, especially among individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder. Metabolism slows when one’s circadian rhythm and sleep are disrupted; if not counteracted by increased exercise or reduced caloric intake, this slowdown could add up to 10 extra pounds in a year.
Moreover, studies have shown that those slept less than seven hours a night were three times as likely to develop cold symptoms when exposed to a cold-causing virus as were people who slept eight or more hours.
Sometimes sleep deprivation is the result of lingering sleep disorders including insomnia, sleep apnea, or restless leg syndrome.
Difficulty falling asleep, racing thoughts, snoring, or stopping breathing when you sleep are common symptoms of sleep disorders. To learn more or make an appointment with one of our sleep experts, call
412-692-2880 or visit the
UPMC Sleep Medicine Center."
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string(192) "Think you are functioning normally on less than eight hours of sleep per night? The odds are that you are setting yourself up for a number of potentially negative side effects.
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Think you are functioning normally on less than eight hours of sleep per night? The odds are that you are setting yourself up for a number of potentially negative side effects.Read More
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string(720) "People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times a night. When this happens, the brain -- and the rest of the body -- may not get enough oxygen. And if sleep apnea continues to go untreated, it can cause life threatening complications, including high blood pressure and heart disease. At the UPMC Division of Sleep Surgery, our experts are some of the most experienced in the country at managing sleep apnea, either with medication, assist devices, or surgery.
This segment will cover:
- What is sleep apnea?
- How is it traditionally managed?
- What is the new groundbreaking surgical approach for treating sleep apnea?
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Learn more about the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea, in this edition of Medical MondaysLearn More
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string(2399) "Are you constantly feeling tired despite going to bed at a reasonable hour each night? Getting quality sleep is as important as getting enough hours of shut-eye. If you're struggling to fall asleep or staying asleep, or get blamed for snoring a lot, you could be one of the millions of Americans suffering from one of these common sleep disorders. View the infographic below to learn more.
Types of Sleep Disorders
- Sleep Apnea – one of the most common sleep disorders that disrupts breathing during sleep. Typically with a 10+ second pause between breaths. Common symptoms of sleep apnea include loud/chronic snoring, choking or gasping, waking up with a sore throat, and morning headaches.
- Narcolepsy - a neurological disorder caused by the brain's inability to regulate sleep normally. Signs of narcolepsy can include excessive sleepiness and fatigue, loss of muscle control (cataplexy), insomnia, and hallucinations. It should be noted that people with narcolepsy don't actually sleep any more than a normal person.
- Sleepwalking (somnambulism) – Walking or performing complex behaviors while asleep. Contrary to popular belief, sleepwalkers should be awakened to prevent them from causing harm to themselves.
- Insomnia - Difficulty falling and/or staying asleep. The symptoms of insomnia are pretty obvious and can include difficulty falling/staying asleep, waking up too early, feeling tired, and disturbances in mood.
- Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) – Overwhelming and often unpleasant urges to move the legs while at rest. Symptoms are not easy to define. Some people use comparisons, such as "like ants crawling through my legs" or "like soda running through my veins" to describe their RLS.
- Sleep Paralysis – A temporary inability to move or speak when REM sleep is interrupted. It can last for mere seconds, or drag on for minutes. People that experience sleep paralysis often say that they feel like someone is in their room or something is on their chest.
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Read about the common sleep disorders that could be keeping your body from getting the sleep it needs, which can lead to bigger problems down the road.View Infographic
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string(3209) "Feeling like a zombie this morning? You're not alone. Millions of Americans suffer from a lack of sleep or sleep deprivation. Even if you make the effort to get to bed early, there may be a number of reasons why you can't get your proper amount of rest to help you feel functional the next morning. You may be surprised by these ten common reasons why you're not getting enough sleep:
- Late Night Snacks – The late night munchies spell disaster for more than your diet. Eating and drinking too close to your bedtime can cause heartburn and the need to use the bathroom during the night. Fill up on a healthy dinner so you're not tempted to snack!
- Anxiety – Worries from the work day keeping you awake? Lying awake thinking will only cause you more anxiety! Break the cycle by reading a book until you're tired and relaxed enough to doze off.
- Temperature – If you're too hot or too cold, odds are, you will wake up in the middle of the night. Before bed, find the ideal temperature using your thermostat and a blanket, so you can sleep soundly through the night.
- Electronics – Too much stimulation (and artificial light) before bed can make falling asleep incredibly difficult.
- Alcohol – Having a nightcap before bed may sound tempting, but even though it may make you feel sleepy, it fragments your sleep. To wake up feeling less zombie-like, skip the alcohol.
- Caffeine – Coffee, tea, and energy drinks may be your go-to morning boost, but drinking them too late in the afternoon can keep you awake.
- Sleep Schedule – Make a schedule and stick to it. Going to sleep and waking up at different times every day stops your body's natural sleep rhythm, making it even harder to get a good night's rest.
- Exercising – There's no denying that breaking a sweat is essential to a healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately, raising your heart rate right before bed makes it harder to fall asleep, so opt for a morning workout instead.
- Artificial Light – Light dictates your body's natural sleep pattern, so switch off that bedside lamp and you'll find yourself drifting off much faster.
- Sleep Apnea – This sleep disorder is marked by disruptions in breathing during the night, which causes you to wake up abruptly. Seeking treatment will drastically improve your sleep!
Do you feel like any of these reasons apply to you? Are you tired of being tired? Visit the UPMC Sleep Medicine Center online to learn more about sleeping habits or to schedule a sleep study to uncover the reason why you haven't been getting the right amount of sleep.
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Feeling like a zombie this morning? Discover ten reasons you may be getting poor sleep and find out how you can get better sleep.View Infographic
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string(3495) "In the wee hours of the morning, you wake suddenly from sleep, overcome by a strange feeling of dread. You're sure there's an intruder in your bedroom and spot a terrifying creature at the end of your bed.
Yet you can't move a muscle — or even scream. It may sound like something out of a horror flick, but this experience, known as sleep paralysis, is a very real phenomenon. While harmless, this problem can be very frightening and the fear of having an episode may interfere with a good night's sleep.
What Is Sleep Paralysis?
Sleep paralysis is a type of parasomnia, or sleep disorder. It typically occurs when you are either falling asleep (hypnogogic) or when you are waking up (hypnopompic). During both of these times, your eyes move quickly and dreams occur as part of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, but your muscles are very relaxed.
If you wake up before this stage ends, you may realize that you are unable to move or speak. A subset of people also experience hallucinations. These can include:
- A feeling of foreboding
- The sense that someone is in your room
- The sensation of something pressing on your chest or choking you
- An image of a monster, witch, demon, or other menacing figure
Although it's still unclear why or how these hallucinations occur, researchers believe a harmless neurological disturbance may be involved. An episode of sleep paralysis can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes.
What Causes Sleep Paralysis?
Sleep paralysis is quite common: Surveys found that about 40 percent of people have had the problem at some point in their lives. In fact, almost every culture has some sort of story or explanation for the experience, ranging from vengeful spirits to alien abductors. Folklore aside, a number of factors can increase your likelihood of having sleep paralysis.
One of the major causes of sleep paralysis is
sleep deprivation, or a lack of sleep. A changing sleep schedule, sleeping on your back, the use of certain medications, stress, and other sleep-related problems, such as narcolepsy, may also play a role.
Sleep Paralysis Treatment and Prevention
It's normal to experience occasional episodes of sleep paralysis, and no treatment is necessary. If you have another sleep disorder, treating that problem will usually help prevent paralysis as well. The most important thing you can do to reduce your risk of having an episode is to get plenty of sleep — at least eight hours per night. You should also try keeping a lid on stress and switching to a new position if you typically sleep on your back. If you are troubled by frequent episodes of sleep paralysis, your doctor may recommend that you see a sleep specialist for further evaluation.
Having trouble sleeping? What keeps you up at night? Learn more about sleep disorders and speak with an expert to get to the root of your sleeping problem. Visit the
UPMC Sleep Medicine Center online and make an appointment today."
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Sleep paralysis occurs when the body wakes during REM. Learn more about the causes and symptoms, as well as ways to help prevent sleep paralysis.Read More
