Your Sleep 
Sleeping is your most valuable activity of the day. Sleep allows the body to recharge and prepare for the next day. Sleeping well will help you feel better and maximizes your energy during the day. Sleep needs change over a person’s lifetime. Adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Getting the sleep that you need will enhance your overall quality of life.
Signs that you may have a Sleep Disorder
• You feel tired and lack energy during the day
• You have a hard time paying attention during meetings
• You are unmotivated and have trouble “getting going”
• You are irritable, grouchy or lose your temper easily
• You experience sleep walking or sleep related eating disorders
• You start to doze off when you are driving a car
Factors that Affect Sleep
• Life Events
• Depression
• Illness
• Bad Sleep Habits
• Medication
• Physical and Hormonal Changes
• Work Demands
Sleep & Men
Men tend to think of sleep as just one more thing to get done in a day and fail to realize the value of a good night’s rest. Work demands, life changes, both good and bad, and bad habits, such as use of alcohol and nicotine, are just a few of the causes of men’s sleep disruption.
Sleep & Women
Women face many potential disruptions to their sleep and are more likely than men to feel unrefreshed even after a full night of sleep. In general women tend to sleep more than men, go to bed and fall asleep faster. Women sleep lighter and are more easily disturbed. The body’s changes during pregnancy and hormonal changes during menopause can also affect a woman’s sleep.
Sleep & Children
It is important that children get the right amount of rest. Sleep is very valuable to having a happy, healthy child. Experts recommend that your child get the following amount of sleep at each stage of growth:
• Infants: (3 to 11 months) 14 to 15 hours
• Toddlers: 12 to 14 hours
• Preschoolers: 11 to 13 hours
• School Age Children: 10 to 11 hours
• Adolescents: 9 to 10 hours
Sleep Disorders
• Insomnia
• Sleep Apnea
• Narcolepsy
• Jet Lag
• Shift Work
• Sleep walking/sleep related eating disorders
• Sleep terrors
• Restless Legs
• Periodic Limb Movement
• Inadequate Sleep Hygiene
• Recurrent Nightmares
Consultation with a Sleep Medicine Physician
If you suspect that you have a sleep disorder, our sleep medicine physicians can confirm if you have made the right conclusion. After a careful medical evaluation they can find the source of your sleep problem.
Your evaluation may involve a sleep study. A sleep study is one of the best tools for detecting a sleep disorder. Sensors are used to monitor how your body acts while you are sleeping. A sleep study provides your physician with data that will help find the cause of your sleep problem.
Our physicians are board certified in pulmonary medicine and sleep medicine.
Questions?
Talk to your physician if you think you may have a sleep disorder. To schedule a consultation, please call us at 479-582-7383 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. |
