ANCSLEEP BLOG

Hydration is important, and is connected to the types and amounts of liquid that you consume. However, when traveling, it's easy to overindulge in drinks that we normally wouldn't because of how much traveling can throw off our normal schedule. We may consume less water, and find ourselves drinking more unhealthy beverages. Unfortunately, poor drink choices on vacation can lead to dehydration which can impact sleep even more than traveling already does. Continue reading to find out more about this relationship and how you can help yourself get better sleep on vacation. 

We have all had those moments where it's the night before Christmas, a birthday, a big interview, test, etc., and it's nearly impossible to sleep. We are wired, excited, nervous, and have too much stimulation to go to sleep. 

Although we feel nervous, it's important for us to still get adequate sleep. If we have a test or interview, the last thing we want to do is look or feel tired. If it's a celebratory day, eventually the lack of sleep will catch up to you and cause an early retirement. 

There are some tips and tricks to try when you need to get good sleep even though you are nervous. 

Whenever we talk about sleep hygiene, we always highlight the "holy trinity" - dark, quiet and cool. However, music may actually help some people go to sleep, especially those who have sleep issues that they would like to address without using sleep aids. Music therapists are an emerging group of professionals who are using music to help those who struggle with anxiety and other mental health disorders that can stop people from getting the sleep that they need. Here is some more information on how music can help with sleep. 

Sleeping problems during the menstrual cycle is very common. In fact, women have more sleeping problems than men, and that's partly due to the constant fluctuation of hormones that happen throughout the month. In the days leading up to a woman's period, she may experience something called premenstrual syndrome (PMS), or something more severe called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). In this article, we will talk about how PMS can lead to insomnia, and what are some ways to improve one's sleep while traversing through a menstrual cycle. 

Sleep quality tends to decline with age, making it very difficult for older adults to fall asleep and stay asleep. However, Pink noise may be just the thing to help these individuals get the sleep they need. Pink noises include sounds like falling rain, a flowing river, crashing waves, or other sounds from nature that cover a wide range of frequencies. It better emphasize lower frequencies, however.

Researchers played pink noise audio through a headband to older adults while they slept, and the study showed that pink nose during deep sleep increased slow waves in the brain for some participants. Continue reading for more information regarding deep sleep for older adults and pink noise. 

Sleep apnea occurs when one stops breathing throughout the night, taking small pauses, and then begins gasping for air to begin breathing again. It can be very disruptive to one's sleep, and very concerning for those who observe this sleep pattern. Sleep apnea can be divided into central (CSA) and obstructive (OSA). Obstructive occurs when something in the back of the throat prevents one from breathing. Those who are overweight, have a wide neck, and males are at increased risk for developing OSA. 

CSA can be a bit more alarming because it's an issue with the brain, and not with the muscles in the back of the neck. We are going to talk about CSA in children, and what are appropriate treatment steps. 

It is no secret that older individuals may struggle more with insomnia than any other group. This is due to a variety of physiological changes that make it harder to get a good night's sleep. 

For most insomniacs, the best solution is a pharmaceutical intervention. However, for older adults, sleeping pills may not be the best first-line solution. This is due to the fact that sleeping pills have more adverse reactions and increased risks for older adults, than they do for other populations. Continue reading for more information on how sleep aids affect older adults. 

If you really love your job and want to be good at it, then you must get a good night's sleep. The link between sleep and job performance is a positive linear relationship, meaning that the better you sleep, the better you work. This article will dive into why that is and how you can improve your job performance. 

When you're trying to go to sleep, sometimes, for whatever reason, your body is just not ready to go to sleep. You may feel excited, antsy, or just not very tired. However, you know that if you don't go to sleep soon and your wake time doesn't change to make sure you can get an adequate amount of sleep, you're going to be dragging the next day. 

Therefore, it's important to learn some tips and tricks for when you need to relax so you can go to bed. Here are some relaxation exercises to help you fall asleep. Most of these can be done in your bed, so you can fall asleep right where you are relaxing. 

Nightmares and night terrors may easily be confused with one another because they share some similar features. They both can be frightening and cause trouble going back to sleep and/or staying asleep. But it's important to understand the difference between them as they are two different events. This can really impact how they are both treated as well. Continue reading to find out more about these two different sleeping events and what do do about them.