What Does a Good Night’s Sleep Look Like?
MARCH 17, 2017 – 5:00 AM | by Lisa Mulcahy| Parade.com
Remember the last time you caught some quality z’s? Good sleep helps us stay healthy, but many people struggle to sleep well. Earlier this year, an expert panel reported some features of quality sleep in the journal Sleep Health:
- Falling asleep in 30 minutes or less
- Being awake for 20 minutes or less after initially falling asleep (In other words, a short jaunt to the bathroom won’t disrupt your sleep unless you can’t get back to sleep afterward.)
- Sleeping at least 85 percent of the total time you’re in bed
Signs of Sleep Troubles
Sleep-disorder symptoms that warrant a trip to the doctor include the following:
- Loud snoring or sudden gaps in habitual snoring (Your partner may notice.)
- Waking up gasping for breath or choking
- An irresistible urge to move your legs during sleep
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
30% of readers say they’d rather get more sleep than lose 15 pounds, have more sex or get a raise
Source: 2015 Parade survey
Do You Have Sleep Apnea?
If you’ve righted the “wrongs” and still feel sleepy all the time, you may have sleep apnea, a massively under-diagnosed form of obstructed breathing that keeps briefly waking you up. (Snoring is one symptom.) Not only will you be exhausted the next day, apnea can increase stress on your heart and raise your blood pressure, increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke, says Carl W. Bazil, M.D., director of the Columbia University Sleep Disorders Center in New York City.
Apnea typically is diagnosed following an overnight study in a sleep lab, but patients now can be screened at home with a machine that measures brain activity.
There are treatment options, including the CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine—a masklike device that keeps your airway open while you sleep—and newer, less invasive options. “An even easier option available to many patients today is a mouth device that comfortably pulls your jaw forward, opening your airway,” Bazil says.
