Tag Archives: sleep and stress

Aug 04 2014
Insomnia, Sleep Health, Sleep Testing, Uncategorized

When Sleep Apnea is just the Beginning

Nearly 1 in 10 patients with obstructive sleep apnea also experience “parasomnia” symptoms such as sleepwalking, hallucinations and acting out their dreams, a Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine study has found.

Researchers examined records of 537 adult sleep apnea patients who were evaluated at the Loyola Center for Sleep Disorders in Maywood and Oak Brook Terrace. Fifty-one patients, or 9.5 percent of the total, reported one or more types of parasomnia symptoms. Parasomnia complaints included sleep paralysis, sleep-related hallucinations, acting out dreams, sleepwalking, and eating while asleep.

Obstructive sleep apnea is caused by a partial or complete blockage of the airway. Each time this happens, the brain becomes aroused, in order to resume breathing. This is disruptive to sleep, and the patient can feel chronically tired during the day.

Earlier studies found that obstructive sleep apnea is associated with a higher risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks, stroke, obesity, diabetes, heart failure and irregular heartbeats. The new study suggests that apnea is also linked to increased parasomnia symptoms.

Because it interrupts sleep, apnea can set a person up for parasomnia, said Dr. Nidhi S. Undevia, principal investigator of the study. “If you have a predisposition to parasomnia, apnea could make it worse,” Undevia said. Undevia is medical director of the Loyola Center for Sleep Disorders and an assistant professor in the Department of Critical Care Medicine at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.

Undevia said doctors should ask apnea patients if they have parasomnia symptoms. “We need to start asking, because we might be missing potentially dangerous or harmful behaviors,” she said.

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The above story is based on materials provided by Loyola University Health System. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

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Feb 04 2014
Insomnia, Sleep Health, Sleep Testing

Which Came First — Lack of Sleep or Stress?

Stress affects sleep by making the body aroused, awake, and alert –making it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. After a sleepless night, you may be more irritable, short-tempered, and vulnerable to stress.

So is it stress that causes a sleepless night, or a sleepless night that increases stress? The answer is yes. Quite simply, one usually comes with the other. A good sleep pattern does not only help reduce stress; sleep is when our bodies repair and detoxify.

It is also when growth hormones are released that promote muscle health. The benefits of a good night’s sleep could fill this page, right down to how sleep aids recovery when fighting an infectious illness..

How then, do we get a good night’s sleep, when the day’s stresses, work demands, household finances, and the needs of children get in the way?

1.    Don’t oversleep

·         It’s tempting to stay in bed longer when you have had a poor night’s sleep. Don’t do it – this is the most crucial rule.  Get up at about the same time every day, especially on the morning after you’ve lost sleep. Sleeping late for just a couple of days can reset your body clock to a different cycle — you’ll be getting sleepy later and waking up later.

2.    Set your body clock

·         Light helps restart your body clock to its active daytime phase. So when you get up, get some light – either go outside, or turn on all those lights!

·         Then walk around for a few minutes. The calves of your legs act as pumps and get blood circulating, carrying more oxygen to your brain to help get you going.

3.    Exercise

·         Keep physically active during the day. This is especially important the day after a bad night’s sleep. When you sleep less, you should be more active during the day.

·         Strenuous exercise (brisk walking, swimming, jogging, squash, etc.) in late afternoon seems to promote more restful sleep. Also, insomniacs tend to be too inactive a couple of hours before bed. Do some gentle exercise. A stretching routine has helped many people.

4.    Don’t nap

·         Do not take any naps the day after you’ve lost sleep. When you feel sleepy, get up and do something. Walk, make the bed, or do your errands.

·         While studying, get up regularly (every 30 minutes, or more often if necessary) to walk around your room. Do a gentle stretch. That will increase the flow of oxygen to your brain and help you to be more alert.

5.    Set a bedtime schedule

·         Try to go to bed at about the same time every night. Be regular. Most people get hungry at 7 a.m., noon, and 6 p.m. because they’ve eaten at those times for years. Going to bed at about the same time every night can make sleep as regular as hunger.

With a regular sleep pattern based on appropriate activity and schedules, your body is better able to deal with the stresses of life. In turn, those things that might have “set you off” when in a poor-sleep mode, can be much more easily handled with proper rest.

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