Author: aserokin

The Top 5 Sleep-Related Myths

We spend about one-third of our lives sleeping, and most of us know very little about how sleep affects our bodies. Here are five of the most commonly repeated myths related to sleep.

Myth #1          You can make up for lost sleep.

Fact: If you think staying in bed on the weekends is going to make up for a week worth of sleep, think again.  A new study shows that going long periods without sleep can result in a kind of “sleep debt” that can’t be simply undone. In fact, too much snoozing can disrupt your circadian rhythm. So you should try to provide your body with a consistent number of hours of sleep each night.

Myth #2          A good work out at night will make it easier to fall asleep.

Fact:  Exercising regularly helps your body to fall sleep, but only if it is done at least 3 hours prior to bedtime. A work out elevates your body’s temperature which makes falling asleep difficult.

 Myth #3         My brain needs sleep to rest.

Fact:  During sleep, the rest of your body rests while your brain constantly controls all of your body’s functions, repairs cells and memorizes new information.

Myth #4          Everyone needs about 8 hours of sleep.

Fact:  The amount of sleep needed varies from person to person and depends on other factors, such as the individual’s lifestyle. The better the quality of sleep, the less time it takes for our bodies to renew itself. Stress, poor diet, heavy alcohol consumption and inadequate sleeping conditions make it harder for us to part with the pillow and make us feel tired even after many hours of rest.

Myth#5           People are divided into “night owls” and “early birds”

Fact:  It is commonly believed that whether we like to get out of bed early in the morning or become more energetic during the night, genetics are to blame. The truth is that it all depends on your lifestyle and habits acquired over many years. This means that with a little will power the “night owls” can become “early birds.”

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Important:
The Sleep Blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Instead, this website provides general information for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider if you have questions or concerns regarding any medical condition or treatment.

Sleep Cycle – Turn Your iPhone Into a Sleep-tracking Device.

If you’re like me, waking up in the morning can be challenging. Hearing my loud alarm go off in the AM sometimes scares me to death and other times I can’t hear it at all. So how can this problem be solved? There’s an app for that!

Sleep Cycle is a Swiss-made iPhone app that offers a new approach to the way we wake up. During the night, we drift back and forth between light and deep sleep cycles; the key to feeling rested and relaxed is to wake up during the light sleep phase. The Sleep Cycle App claims to be able to help you do just that.

So, how does it work?

Placed under your pillow, Sleep Cycle uses a sensor called accelerometer that lets your mobile device track your movements throughout the night. Since your movement during sleep varies between the different stages of sleep, Sleep Cycle is able to track what stage of sleep you are in. As you approach the light sleep phase it will gently wake you up. It even lets you use your own mp3 music as a wake up tune. Just remember to charge your phone during the night as the app is constantly working and may drain your battery.

Do you use Sleep Cycle already – tell us how well it works for you.

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Important:
The Sleep Blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Instead, this website provides general information for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider if you have questions or concerns regarding any medical condition or treatment.

Could Snoring Help Burn Calories?

As counter-intuitive as it may seem, snoring may actually have a positive effect on a person’s well being.  Studies show that people who snore burn more calories than their less noisy counterparts. Obesity is a major factor in the development of respiratory disturbances in sleep patterns. It is not clear whether weight gains interferes with breathing , or rather changes in breathing adversely affect the metabolism, resulting in increments of weight and complicating the treatment of these frequently co-occurring conditions.

At the University of California in San Francisco, Dr. Eric J. Kezirian and his team studied 212 adults with symptoms of respiratory disorders associated with sleep. Participants underwent physical examinations, their medical history was taken into account and their sleep was monitored using a polysomnograph. The participants resting energy expenditure (REE) was also tracked using a device called an indirect calorimeter; the calorimeter measures oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production, which can be used to determine resting energy expenditure in calories per day.

It was calculated that among the participants, the average REE is 1766 calories per day. In people with more severe breathing disorders who ranked higher on the scale of sleep apnea or shallow breathing burned 1999 calories, while people without such problems averaged 1626 calories.

Although this may be some what good news, snoring is still an unhealthy habit. Habitual snorers can be at risk for serious health problems associated with heart dieses and diabetes.

An estimated 30 million Americans snore. Figures show that smokers are almost twice as much likely as non-smokers to snore because their airways get inflamed and blocked. Other factors which can make snoring worse include being overweight, drinking alcohol, consuming sleeping pills and sleeping on your back. Research also shows that people who sleep with pets such as dogs tend to have a higher risk of snoring.

Try following behavior changes to help treat the problem:

–          Lose weight

–          Avoid drinking alcohol before bed,

–          Establish regular sleeping patterns,

–          Sleep on your side rather than on your back – if it’s hard for you to adjust, try the “tennis ball trick” (attach a tennis or similar sized ball to the back of your pajama top)

–          Keep your bedroom air moist

–          Quit smoking

–          Elevate the head of your bed up four inches to ease breathing

If you know any remedies or have suggestions on how to help ease snoring , please share in the comments below

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Important:
The Sleep Blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Instead, this website provides general information for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider if you have questions or concerns regarding any medical condition or treatment.