Sleep disorders make you feel trapped in a cycle and believe that life is always going to be this way. You are not getting enough sleep, so you are stressed, and then you are more stressed because you can’t sleep. Not getting enough sleep can be because of many reasons, and sleep disorders like sleep apnea can be one of them. By changing thinking patterns and trying to stay motivated, you can end this cycle and get your sleep back.
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder within which your breathing is repeatedly interrupted during sleep. These breathing pauses typically last between ten to twenty seconds and may happen from 5 to over 100 times per hour, which obviously makes sleeping difficult. The lack of oxygen during a sleep disorder episode jolts you awake, usually so briefly that you simply don’t recollect it. But these disruptions to your natural sleep rhythm mean that you simply spend longer in light sleep and fewer hours in the deep, restorative sleep which actually makes you energetic, mentally sharp, and productive the following day.
Sleep apnea may cause many health problems and in some cases, deadly. So it is important to see to it seriously. If you or your bed partner suspect sleep disorder, visit your doctor at once and read up for checking the problem.
Types of sleep apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common sort of sleep disorder in the world. It occurs when the muscles that support the soft tissues within the upper airway relax during sleep and block the conventional flow of air in and out of the nose and mouth. This usually causes loud snoring and interrupted breathing.
Central apnea is a much less common sort of sleep disorder that concerns the central nervous system. It causes the brain to randomly stop sending signals to respiratory muscles for a few seconds. It is often an indicator of an underlying health condition. People with central nervous system sleep disorder seldom snore.
Complex or mixed sleep disorder could be a rare combination of obstructive apnea and central apnea.
Signs and symptoms of apnea
It is tough to spot a sleep disorder on your own since the prominent symptoms only occur when you are asleep. But you will get around this difficulty by asking a bed partner to watch your sleep habits, or by recording yourself during sleep. Pauses in snoring followed by choking or gasping is a major sign of sleep apnea.
Main symptoms of apnea:
- Frequent, loud snoring
- Choking, snorting, or gasping during night’s sleep
- Daytime sleepiness and fatigue
- A dry mouth or a sore throat in the morning
- Morning time headache
- Restless sleep, nighttime awakenings, or insomnia
- Waking up in the middle of the night due to shortness of breath
- Going to the bathroom frequently during the night
The Solution
The simplest solution for negative thoughts linked to sleep disorders like sleep apnea is to try to get more rest. More rest may appear sort of a simple solution but it is not always as easy as it sounds. The primary step in solving your negativity issue is to gauge why you are sleep-deprived or littered with poor sleep. Examine your schedule and see if you are willing to cut out activities that are interfering with sleep. Ensure that you are going to get at least eight hours of sleeping on pillow time.
What is stopping you?
Some barriers like awakening with or because of a toddler can’t be eliminated. The simplest solution in these cases is to create some guaranteed time for rest. Sleep when you know your toddler is going to sleep. New mothers and fathers need to rearrange their sleep schedules to stay healthy. If you are getting consistently poor sleep, you should be evaluated by your doctor or a specialized sleep physician. Treatment for sleep disorders, like insomnia or apnea, can facilitate you to have uninterrupted rest.
Negative thoughts
Ruminating thoughts can create the regeneration of negative thinking and sleep deprivation. Brooding about negative and stressful things before bedtime really does keep you up at midnight. The more you waver negative ideas and thought, the harder it becomes to fall and stay asleep. So how does one get to break the cycle of sleep-influenced negativity?
If you believe you have got anxiety and/or depression, get help from a counselor. It will help you to calm down and get better sleep in the night, with consistent efforts of course. You may head to bed earlier so that you get enough time to have a good sleep. An earlier schedule is warranted if you do not get a good night’s rest for at least seven hours.
Change your sleeping habits
Getting a good bedtime routine helps you sleep better and check sleep disorders. Establish a daily bedtime routine and stick to it, even on weekends.
- Tone down loud music or flashing computer screens as you get yourself to the bed. Experts advise you to switch off devices like laptops and cell phones so you are not interrupted by text messages and alerts. Employment of electronic devices before bedtime resulted in less sleep.
- Eat less sugar, which may cause sudden rises in your glucose. This could then cause you to get up within the middle of the night when your glucose drops low.
- Be careful of what you drink. Avoid caffeine, including caffeinated teas and coffees, and carbonated drinks.
- While regular exercise helps you sleep more soundly, you must avoid exercise right before bedtime.
- When you arise in the morning, get into bright light as soon as possible. Avoid bright light within the evening. Light controls your biological clock.
- Reduce noise in your bedroom, Wear earplugs if you’re bothered by noises while sleeping. Some people find that “white noise- from a podcast, radio static, or a noise machine, can help. Livpure’s Blackout Curtains help reduce noise and light in the sleeping area.
- Take a warm bath before bedtime. Sleep usually follows the cooling phase of your body’s temperature cycle. After your warm bath, keep the temperature in your bedroom cool to calm the body down gradually to go to sleep.
- Have comfortable bedding and sleeping environment. Invest in a good memory foam mattress from Livpure for the best sleep you can get. Choose from a wide variety of relaxing mattresses online for yourself from the website- they are the best mattresses online one can buy.
- Memory foam mattresses reduce motion transfer from a sleep-disordered partner as well. Hence, it is excellent for your partner’s sleep. You can only have enough time to solve one person’s sleep disorders. Ortho-X, Livpure’s signature memory foam mattress, is a top-of-the-shelf mattress online, which comes at a good mattress price. It is backed by 20 years of innovation and doesn’t create a hole in your pocket- what else do you need!
- Sleeping pillows matter a lot for quality sleep. Check what you need- do you need neck and shoulder support because of pain, or do you sleep better on softer, cloud-like sleeping pillows? The range of pillows on Livpure’s website will cater to all your sleep needs.
Conclusion
Sleep apnea can severely affect your sleep quality and put you at risk of several serious diseases. But there are ways to control it, and the first one is to get rid of your negative thoughts and make your bedroom a haven for sleep. Further, consult a doctor for treatments, such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and oral appliances, which help keep oxygen flowing into your lungs while you sleep. Losing weight can also improve sleep apnea symptoms while reducing your heart disease risk. Try to get those snooze hours for better health all your life.