Sleep is essential for one’s well-being and health, making it important to prioritize a good night’s rest.
Among its many benefits, sleep is restorative, playing a role in muscle repair, protein synthesis, tissue growth and hormone release. It reduces stress — sharpening the mind and improving judgment — and also improves memory. Proper rest helps maintain a healthy weight and can prevent illness, since a lack of sleep adversely impacts the immune system.
The proper amount of sleep is essential. The average adult should get around 7-9 hours of sleep each night. This is complicated by environmental factors that can hinder one’s ability to get proper sleep, including:
- Busy schedules (evening activities, work, social)
- Stress (stress about sleeping, depression)
- Alcohol
- Traveling
- Shift work
- Home environment (too hot or cold, noise, light, electronics)
Sleep disorders, such as those listed below, can also interfere with an individual’s ability to enjoy good quality sleep.
Obstructive sleep apnea
- One type of sleep disorder is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a condition when people have episodes of apnea that disrupt the normal cycles of sleep.
- Treatment can include a surgical procedure to remove the tonsils and the adenoids, a CPAP, INSPIRE or dental work.
Insomnia
- Insomnia is another type of sleep disorder that can make it hard to fall asleep, hard to stay asleep, or cause you to wake up too early and not be able to get back to sleep.
Parasomnias
- Parasomnias are types of sleep disorders that can happen right before you fall asleep, while you are sleeping, or as you are waking up.
- Examples of parasomnia include:
- Sleepwalking
- Sleep Terrors
- Sleep Eating Disorder
- REM Sleep Behavior Disorder
- Sleep Paralysis
- Nightmares
- Bedwetting
- Sleep Hallucination
- Sleep Talking
- Exploding Head Syndrome
Sleep Movement disorders
- Restless Legs
- Periodic Limb Movements
Learn more from the Deaconess Sleep Center about healthy sleep and the sleep disorders that can affect your sleep quality at
deaconess.com/sleep. You can also schedule a new patient appointment online.