Snored to death: The symptoms and dangers of untreated sleep apnea

Sleep is a critically important component of human existence. On average, humans spend about 25%-35% of their lives sleeping. Sleep allows both the body and brain to rest and recover from the stress of daily life. As such, trouble sleeping can cause a range of health problems, and if left untreated dire consequences. Longing for more sleep There is a common misconception that there is an exact amount of sleep that the body requires. The necessary hours of sleep can vary, as some people can require as little as five hours or as much as nine hours to function optimally. In addition, too little or too much sleep can cause problems. The classic example is someone who sleeps in on the weekends. Although one may think getting more sleep than usual would leave a person feeling well rested, sleeping an extra 2-3 hours can actually cause the person to feel groggy and less rested.  For my migraine patients, both under and over sleeping can serve as triggers for more migraines. Naps can also be detrimental to sleep hygiene, as they often lead to poor sleep that evening. Quality, not just quantity Even if sleep duration is good, sleep quality can be quite poor. Sleep interruptions can fragment sleep. When a person goes back to sleep after an  interruption, it can take one hour to reach the restful part of the sleep cycle. Another interruption before reaching deep sleep will cause yet another delay in the cycle. People who wake up many times during the night can have some nights with ze...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Health Prevention Sleep Source Type: blogs