The importance of sleep cannot be overemphasized. That is why over the past two decades, the National Sleep Foundation has been promoting Sleep Awareness Week around the second week of March, with the goal of shining a spotlight on the importance of establishing healthy sleep routines. Here at the Lung & Sleep Specialists of North…
“Sleepwalking”—the term can seem amusing, but it is a real phenomenon that can have harmful consequences on the health and safety of both the sufferer and the people in their household. Also known as somnambulism, sleepwalking is a common condition, affecting as many as 17 percent of children and 4 percent of adults in the…
You must have heard time and time again about the health risks associated with not getting good quality and quantity of sleep, but did you know that having an irregular sleep schedule is just as bad? In fact, a study conducted on university students in Taiwan suggests that an irregular bedtime schedule and poor sleep…
Snoring is the rough rasping sound that results when air flows past the relaxed tissues in the throat, which (in some people) causes the tissues to vibrate as you breathe. It usually occurs when an individual progresses from light sleep to deep sleep, which is when the muscles relax in the soft palate (the back…
We chuckle at one of Snow White’s seven dwarfs, Sleepy, who is always struggling to stay awake – able to fall asleep at the drop of a hat. Many people feel like they can identify with Sleepy, and it’s no joke: As many as 200,000 people in the United States are living with a condition…
A somnipathy, or sleep disorder, is a condition that negatively impacts a person’s sleep patterns. There are several kinds of sleep disorders, and experts often classify them based on their causes or how they affect the individual. The most common types of sleep disorders are parasomnias and dyssomnias. Let’s take a look at these two…
If you’re having a hard time sleeping every night, you might be considering seeing a medical sleep expert. So you may be wondering just how to go about finding such a doctor. There are various factors involved in finding the right sleep specialist for you. Let’s talk about some of the main things that you…
If you still cannot sleep well despite keeping a sleep journal, reducing your caffeine intake, avoiding media before bedtime, and incorporating other beneficial techniques into your lifestyle, then it is in your best interest to consider having a sleep study. Also referred to as polysomnography, a sleep study is a noninvasive overnight evaluation whereby your…
Having a good night’s sleep helps us to feel refreshed and rejuvenated for the next day, but the main reason why we need sleep is to give the brain a rest. That is why we cannot live without sleep. Doctors recommend consistent sleep between 7 and 9 hours every night. Frequent lack of adequate sleep…
Do you find it hard to stay awake during the day? Or do you find yourself suddenly dozing off even when performing activities? If so, you may have narcolepsy. What Is Narcolepsy? Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder in which a person experiences excessive daytime drowsiness and sudden attacks of sleep. There is no cure for…
