ANCSLEEP BLOG

Preferences of side sleeping or back sleeping aren't just for comfort. There are some health benefits and positive impacts on your sleep and overall health by choosing specific sleeping positions.

If you have certain types of pains or sleeping disorders, like sleep apnea, positioning your body in certain ways can truly help relieve some of those ailments so you can get better sleep.

Good sleep is essential for overall health, mood, and many other aspects of the day. By making a few simple changes, you may unlock the key to getting really good sleep. 

Nyctophobia is a mental health disorder, or anxiety disorder, that is the fear of darkness. This goes beyond children who are afraid of the dark. This phobia is extreme distress and fear of the darkness and night. These can cause feelings of anxiety and depression, and are so excessive or irrational, they impact one's day-to-day.

 

Whether you are a top-notch athlete or someone whose idea of exercise consists of walking from room to room, sleep is important for body recovery. It may be more important for those who are more intensely exercising, but even if you don't live an active lifestyle, your body is still experiencing wear and tear from everyday use. If you have sustained an injury, sleep is especially important for a full and faster recovery. Keep reading to find out how sleep can impact your injury and recovery.

 

Somniphobia is a specific fear of falling asleep. For individuals with this condition, sleep itself becomes a source of anxiety, leading to persistent worry throughout the day about going to bed. There are multiple reasons why someone might develop somniphobia, and as a mental health issue, it often requires time and attention to manage. The following information can help you recognize somniphobia and decide whether you should consult your physician about the possibility of having this phobia.

 

Sleepwalking, also known as somnambulism, is a disorder where individuals get up while they are sleeping and walk around. It is very common in children and usually fades during the teen years. However, there are occasional cases that start in adult years or persist into adult years. If there are rare cases of sleepwalking, then those are generally of little concern; however, if there are common causes of sleepwalking, then that may need to be addressed. Continue reading for more information on sleepwalking and how to address it.   

REM sleep behavior disorders are a series of activities that one does in their sleep, at a time when they would normally be temporarily paralyzed. One of the sleep stages that we enter every night is called REM, or rapid eye movement. It is the stage in which dreaming occurs. During this time, we are normally very still, with only our eyes moving about. However, during REM sleep behavior disorders, we may be acting out our dreams. Continue reading to find out more about this disorder. 

The holidays are a time of weight gain for a lot of people due to the high load of cookies, cakes, sugary drinks, and other foods high in sugar and carbs. Although some can limit this to only a few days, those who consume a high sugar/carb diet often may find themselves having trouble sleeping. High sugar and carb diets can impact sleep, so it's important to understand this relationship to improve your sleep. 

The sleep that one can get after having a few drinks of alcohol may persuade you that drinking alcohol can lead to great sleep. And although you may feel like you are getting deep sleep, the quality of your sleep may be too poor to offer any benefits. Alcohol interrupts the process of REM sleep, which is important for the restorative feeling of sleep. Without this stage, you may wake up still feeling lethargic and unrested, regardless of how long you slept. Those who abuse alcohol may have an even worse time with sleep. Keep reading to find out how alcoholism is impacting your sleep.

If you have a tough week where you aren't getting enough sleep, you may find yourself adding to your ever-growing sleep debt. A sleep debt is the amount of hours of sleep that you are NOT getting. Sleep is so essential to our wellbeing and overall function that you take away vital hours when you aren't getting the recommended 7-9 hours a day.

It's really hard to repay sleep debts; in fact, it may be impossible, as we are adding to it much more than we are contributing to it. Therefore, avoidance may be your best option. Here are some ways to avoid a sleep debt. 

Did you know that your sleep is what you eat, and what you eat is your sleep? That may sound confusing, but it's important to understand that there is a link between diet and sleep. This relationship is reciprocal, and decisions made about each one can impact the other for better or for worse. Keep reading to see how this relationship works and how you can make positive changes to improve both!