Frequently Asked Questions - Questions about Sleep
What are the 10 myths about sleep?
Learn more from the NIH Healthy Sleep Guide (pages 22-25).
How many people are affected by sleep disorders?
According the National Institutes of Health, 70 million Americans, are affected by either chronic sleep loss or sleep disorders. That is about one in four! This is associated with $16 billion of health care expenses and $50 billion of lost productivity at work. The problem is that there are not nearly enough sleep centers available to help diagnose and treat them. There is such a need that the NIH has created a very informative (68 pages) online document of sleep health information. Download the NIH Healthy Sleep Guide.
How many sleep disorders are there?
There are 99 sleep disorders listed in the International Classifications of Sleep Disorders book ranging from problems with falling asleep, staying asleep, and how you feel during the day.
My spouse says I don't sleep well, but I sleep fine, do I have a problem?
It depends. Usually, if someone is sleeping restlessly and tosses and turns, there may be something that is interrupting sleep. The interesting thing about sleep is that a sleeping person can wake up many times, but may not notice it. This is because if takes a short time of being awake to know that you are awake. You can make an appointment with us to talk more about this, and determine whether you need testing or not. You can also take these online quizzes to see for yourself.
I have no problems falling asleep, does that mean I don't have a sleep problem?
If you can fall asleep easily, then you don't have any problem falling asleep but you can still have another sleep disorder. Pay attention to how you sleep and how you feel after you wake up. If you sleep restlessly, snore excessively, have a dry mouth, or sweat in your sleep, there may be a problem about the quality of your sleep. If you don't feel refreshed and rested after you wake up, or need naps or caffeine even if you sleep enough, there also may be a problem with the quality of your sleep.
Who is at risk for poor sleep?
People who are restless sleepers, have difficulty getting out of bed in the morning, and/or are tired during the day have a high chance of having a sleep problem. People who are overweight, over the age of 65, diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, pain have a very high chance of having a sleep disorder, and it can worsen other medical problems if left untreated.
Do women have sleep problems, or only men?
Women have the same kinds of sleep problems as men and and sometimes more (unfortunately). Women going through, or have gone through, menopause have high rates of having sleep apnea. Pregnancy, especially trimesters one and three, have high rates for sleep problems for different reasons. People over the age of 65 have a 50% chance of having a sleep disorder.
Is there anything I can do to sleep better on my own?
Sleep Hygiene:
You can work on improving your sleep hygiene to regulate your sleep schedule. It can help you fall asleep better, and can help you feel more awake during the day. This is done by waking and sleeping at the same time, everyday. Avoid caffeine after 3pm, and turn down the lights, TV brightness, monitor brightness, volume 2 hours before you plan on going to bed. REMOVE THE TV AND COMPUTER FROM THE BEDROOM! If you cannot sleep within twenty minutes of lying down to bed, leave the bedroom and do something interesting (but not stimulating) so you’ll fall asleep sooner. Go back to bed only once you are sleepy. There is much more to this, but try this first. You may not need to follow these rules forever, but consider the treatment of a broken bone. The doctor puts a strong cast on the broken limb and tells you to avoid using it. As it heals, the cast is replaced with a soft cast, and eventually a splint. During this time you are slowly using that limb more. Sleep hygiene is the same way where you are treating "broken" sleep. The rules may be constricting at first, but as your sleep gets better, you can do more.
Sleep Apnea:
If you think you may have sleep apnea and not yet been studied and treated you can help by avoiding sleeping on your back (unless you are a child), avoiding alcohol in the evening, and losing weight. This can help but usually not completely, but it is a bridge before you make a visit with our sleep specialist.