By – Dr. Barry Chase
1- I always snore, its normal.
Not true; snoring can be an indicator of sleep apnea, a time during sleep when the airway is blocked or closed and oxygen is decreased in the blood and body. Snoring occurs when the tissues of the airway vibrate during sleep and that causes an airway restriction which blocks the flow of air and oxygen to the lungs. Slight snoring may be within normal limits, but loud persistent snoring is “pathologic.”
2– I only sleep 4-5 hours a night, that’s sufficient for me.
The brain, during sleep, experiences 4-5 sleep cycles during the night. Within a cycle there are certain sleep stages the brain must go through to be well rested, rejuvenated, and for memory consolidation and alertness. Deep sleep occurs during the first 4 hours and most of the dreaming sleep (REM – rapid eye movement sleep) occurs during the last 4 hours. If you are only sleeping 4 hours, the brain is not experiencing enough REM sleep and that could result in difficulty thinking, making good decisions, being clear minded and having a good memory.
3- I take naps during the day which makes up for my lack of sleep at night
Naps disrupt the continuity of the sleep cycles and sleep staging the brain wants to have. The ideal sleep is a continuous 8 hours to allow for the brain to cycle though all the sleep staging. Naps confuse the brain as to what stage it should be in and when you go to sleep at night, the brain does not know which stage to resume. If you must nap, try to keep it 30 minutes or less. If you need a nap once in a while because you are a little sleep deprived, that may be ok. But if you are constantly sleepy, needing naps after lunch, at the 3 o’clock lull, when you get home after work, you may not be sleep deprived, but actually have a sleep disorder. See you physician for a consultation.
4- I have mild sleep apnea; I will just sleep on my side or lose a little weight
Although sleeping on your back can make sleep apnea worse, you still can suffer from the effects of sleep apnea sleeping on your side. Even people who sleep on their stomachs can suffer from sleep apnea. Losing weight is unpredictable inasmuch as one can lose weight and there may be no benefit from their sleep apnea. Losing weight may be healthier overall, but it is not a therapy for sleep apnea.
5- Exercising right before bedtime helps me sleep better.
If you want to exercise before going to sleep, do it about 3-4 hours before bedtime. Exercising raises your core body temperature and will prevent good sleep. However, if you exercise 3-4 hours before bedtime, you will give your body a chance to cool. The cooling of your core body temperature will promote falling to sleep more easily and promote over-all better sleep.
6- I hit the pillow and I’m out immediately. That’s good, right?
Very often people who fall asleep immediately are over-sleepy. It should take between 5-12 minutes to fall asleep. People who fall asleep too fast often wake up 2-3 hours later and have trouble falling back to sleep. They have what is called maintenance insomnia. If this happens to you, you should make an effort to find out why you are over-sleepy. Many people try to self-medicate and that is not recommended. Sleep aids are unpredictable and may have side effects. Treating the symptoms of sleepiness and insomnia you may preventing yourself from finding out the real reason you are not sleeping properly. Consult with your physician before you take any over-the-counter medications for sleep.
