ANCSLEEP BLOG

High-profile celebrity deaths like Bob Saget and Ray Liotta may have you questioning your own safety as you close your eyes at night. Especially as we age, each breath becomes that much more precious as anything could happen at any time. Although there is very little control over when our bodies decide we have reached our end, there are some things we can do to ensure optimal health to give ourselves a little bit more reassurance when we lay our heads down to sleep. Continue reading for 5 ways to keep yourself healthy before getting some Zzz's. 

Migraines affect about 15% of the adult population and is the leading cause of living disability in those below 50 years old. Although they seem like "just another headache" migraines are much more severe and persistent than the average headache. They also come with some distinct characteristics and require specific treatments for relief. 

Migraines can be debilitating and cause lost work wages as well as decreased quality of life. There are many things that contribute to migraines such as genetics, stress, hormones, etc. But one common link to migraines is sleep, or lack thereof. Continue reading to find out how restricted sleep can worsen migraine symptoms. 

We focus a lot on what you do at night and how to have a stellar nighttime routine for sleep. However, your morning routine can also impact your sleep. Getting enough sleep is vital for optimal functioning, and physical/emotional wellbeing. There are many adults, however, that don't receive their recommended number of hours of sleep on a regular basis.

The recommended number of hours is 7-8 hours. If someone deviates from this every once in a while, then they can balance it out the following night(s). However, when this is a common pattern, then it leads to chronic sleep deprivation which can lead to regular suboptimal performance. 

What you do at night, however, is not the main thing that impacts your sleep. What you do in the morning can also impact your sleep. Here are five morning habits that are actually ruining your sleep. 

If you are hot while sleeping, it can severely ruin your sleep quality. For optimal sleep, you must be cool. Your body actually drops to about 96 degrees when you are sleeping. Therefore, your outside temperature needs to match that. Your sleeping environment should be anywhere from 66-70F degrees. If you feel very hot when you sleep, continue reading to learn possible causes, and what you can do. 

Getting sleep in older age can be complicated by a multitude of factors. One of those factors are movement disorders while sleeping. When you are asleep, your body is essentially paralyzed, especially in rapid eye movement sleep, or dreaming sleep. This is because your body wants to protect itself from potential harm of acting out your dreams. 

However, there are certain conditions where this doesn't happen. One of those is called restless leg syndrome (RLS)). Another, which sounds very similar, is periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD). Both of these are very common in the elderly, further exacerbating or complicating any sleep disorders they may already be experiencing. Continue reading to find out the difference between these two disorders. 

Whenever you get behind the wheel of a car and are sleepy, that is known as drowsy driving. It's one of the most dangerous things that you can do, second to drunk driving or driving under the influence. In fact, after a certain number of hours of no sleep, your brain is very similar to one that is drunk. 

Drowsy driving can significantly increase the risk of accidents which leads to a high number of injuries and deaths every year. There are so many sleeping problems across the United States, that increased awareness of drowsy driving can significantly positively impact public health. Continue reading to find out more about drowsy driving so you can avoid practicing it and contributing to the large number of drivers on the road who are driving at suboptimal consciousness.

As a new parent, you may be desperate to know when your baby will sleep through the night. It can be challenging in those first few weeks when your baby is getting adjusted to being outside of the womb and your household is getting adjusted to having a newborn.

It can also be really frustrating to be sleep deprived and feel like, no matter what, your baby just won't go to sleep. In fact, it can even be dangerous to be very tired and have a child that won't sleep, increasing the risk for abuse and accidents. 

Continue reading to learn more about why your baby may be crying, and how you can expect them to better regulate themselves over the next few months.  

In a time where companies are really starting to notice mental health and employee wellness, you may be in search of a company that truly values your wellness and doesn't just say that they do. One way companies can put their money where their mouths are is by being pro-nap. 

Napping has been demonized in America as being a sign of the lazy, however, other countries have embraced napping and shutting down in the middle of the day. The understand the biology of the midday cortisol drop. Cortisol is your stress hormone that helps keep you alert and activated. It drops after lunch, so that post-lunch energy dip that you feel is actually very normal. 

Short, 30-minute naps are very beneficial for giving you a quick energy bump and improving creativity. This can increase workplace productivity and can actually benefit your health by reducing your chances of stroke, heart attack or heart failure. 

So who are the companies who work with your body, instead of against it? Continue reading to find out to see if any of them are a good fit for you. 

Our circadian rhythm is the master clock of our bodies. It tells us when to go to sleep, when to wake up, and all of the fluctuations throughout the day of our energy and alertness. This rhythm is determined by light which serves as a crucial determining factor for our schedules. 

Biology also plays a role in our circadian rhythms. By nature, we are either early birds or night owls. It is hard to deviate much from this schedule. We are programmed to get tired and be alert at different parts of the day. The circadian rhythm and light help to manage this. 

However, as we age, these phases may experience dramatic shifts as our hormones fluctuate. This can cause extreme sleep problems that can lead to excessive daytime sleepiness and insomnia. Continue reading to find out how to best manage these shifts. 

Obstructive Sleep Apnea, or OSA, is a common sleep disorder where individuals have brief pauses in breathing due to a blockage of the airway. This blockage can be caused by a large tongue that has relaxed and covering the airway, or the muscles in the back of the throat that have relaxed and are also covering the airway. 

The mainstay of treatment is a continuous positive airway pressure, or a CPAP, machine. This machine blows air into the back of your throat to prevent the muscles from collapsing and keeping your airway open. It consists of a mask that goes over your nose and your mouth that is attached by a hose to a machine that delivers this air. 

CPAP machines are very important because OSA can cause a host of health problems including obesity, hypertension, and reduced sleep. Those with OSA can develop excessive daytime sleepiness and the risk of developing it is increased by being overweight, having a large neck circumference, smoking, and being male, to name a few. 

Although CPAPs are great, they often come up with some uncomfortable side effects. A common side effect is dry mouth. Continue reading to find out how to avoid this side effect.