Millions of individuals suffer from sleep disorders, such as insomnia or obstructive sleep apnea. While these issues may just seem like a nuisance to many people, they can have devastating consequences on your health and your quality of life. Getting adequate sleep is one of the most important aspects of maintaining a healthy body and mind! Here, we’ll discuss why it is so vital and how sleep apnea therapy may be able to help you get the high-quality shuteye that you deserve.
Sleep Helps You Stay Focused, Creative, and Happy
When you get enough sleep, you may wake up feeling like you can take on the world. You’re more productive at work because you’re able to focus on the tasks in front of you.
Sleep does even more. It gives your brain an opportunity to process new information and store long-term memories. During shuteye, your mind even forms creative connections between various pieces of information. That’s why, when faced with a major decision, many people choose to “sleep on it.” Research has proven that individuals who have an opportunity to sleep before trying to solve a major problem have more success in finding the right solution.
Sleep also helps your mood. It enables your brain to properly regulate hormones that relate to emotions, like serotonin and cortisol.
Sleep Also Restores the Body
Sleep comes with some significant benefits for the body:
- It helps us recover from injuries (sleep-deprived athletes recover from muscle injuries at a slower rate)
- It encourages the release of human growth hormone (HGH)
- It reduces inflammation in damaged tissues
- It shores up the immune system (insomniacs are more vulnerable to infectious diseases)
- It encourages the production of new cells
Most People Don’t Get Enough Sleep
Nearly every demographic group reports that they aren’t getting the recommended amount of sleep. Lots of factors contribute to this trend of drowsy people, including:
- People play with their phones before bed
- Sleep gets sacrificed on the altar of impossibly long to-do lists
- Worry keeps people awake at night
- Sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea, rob people of high-quality rest
Getting the Most Out of Sleep
Fortunately, you aren’t doomed to be drowsy forever! With a few simple adjustments to your routine, you may be able to start getting the most out of your time in dreamland. Here are some suggestions to get you on the path to more, higher quality shuteye.
- Reserve your bed for sleep and intimacy — no reading, playing on your phone, or working.
- Do something relaxing before bed.
- Make sure your room is as dark and silent as possible.
- Talk to your doctor about your lack of sleep. If you have sleep apnea or another disorder, there may be treatments available to relieve the problem and get you on the road to better rest.
Never underestimate the value of a good night’s rest! If you aren’t regularly getting enough sleep, please take steps to adjust your routine so you can be healthier, happier, and more energetic.
About the Author
Dr. L. King Scott has been working in dentistry for four decades. In addition to providing general dentistry services, he also helps his patients enjoy better rest through sleep apnea therapy. If you would like to find out if he can help you get more out of your shuteye, please contact our office at 318-325-4600.