Sleep Deprivation and Erectile Dysfunction (ED)

Sleep deprivation can be the primary cause of erectile dysfunction (ED). The good news, in this, is that by treating the sleep apnea, you'll actually treat the ED. 

A few nights of sleep deprivation is not likely to cause ED. It might slightly impact your libido, but sleep deprivation as a cause of ED is usually chronic (long term) sleep deprivation.

ED can be any or all of the following:

• Reduced sex drive (libido)
• Inability to get an erection
• Inability to perform (maintain an erection)

Chronic sleep deprivation is caused when you get less than 7-9 hours per day over a long period of time.

Why Sleep Matters for Covid – Your Immune System

Your immune system and sleep are connected. Sleep loss impacts your immune response and, in turn, your immune system alters your sleep. If you are trying to help fight against Covid-19, getting consistent quality sleep will be one of your primary methods of helping fight this disease and ensuring optimal recovery.

Molecules called cytokines are signaling molecules in the immune system and the brain. Sleep deprivation decreases your body’s production of cytokines and inhibit your immune response to deadly illness like Covid-19, as well as other diseases like:

• Flu
• Cold
• Chronic inflammation

Specifically, lack of sleep prevents your immune system from building up its forces, meaning that your immune system will be overloaded by illness and will likely take longer to recover.

During illness, increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines correspond with increased fatigue, which is why you feel tired when you are sick. It’s your body’s way of telling you to sleep more and recover quicker from your illness.

The key point here – along with a disclaimer – is that sleep may help you boost your immune system and protect you from, or mitigate, Covid-19 impacts on your health. However, Covid-19 is not well understood and underlying conditions and other factors may also render good-sleep a non-factor. That being said, getting plenty of sleep this winter and/or if you have signs of Covid probably won’t hurt!

Why RLS is a Problem?

Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a nervous system disorder that causes uncomfortable feelings in your legs (and other extremities) during the night. RLS can cause enough discomfort to interfere with sleep which is why it is considered a sleep disorder. This discomfort can cause you to wake up and move your leg to ease the discomfort, which can make it hard to fall back asleep.

The bad news is that this is a vicious cycle, as the sleep deprivation may in turn also worsen your symptoms. Also, people with mild or intermittent RLS may have their RLS go undetected or misdiagnosed, which in means their sleep deprivation may go with improvement.

The good news is that this sleep disorder does not usually require medication and there are things you can do to improve it.

Insomnia Isn't So Simple

Insomnia is somewhat of a complex topic because it's not as simple as "I can't sleep." In fact, there are actually two types of insomnia, and two modes of insomnia. Here's a closer look at how to distinguish these types/modes of insomnia

The two types of insomnia are:

• Primary insomnia – insomnia as a direct result of something else
• Secondary insomnia – insomnia with no clear, underlying issue

The two modes of insomnia are:

• Acute insomnia – short term, a month or less
• Chronic insomnia – symptomatic, long term (at least three times per week for a month or more)S

So in total, there are actually four different combinations of mode/type meaning that your insomnia might look different than someone else's insomnia. Continue reading to learn more about insomnia and sleeplessness.

Sleep Is Integral to Living a Good Life

It hardly needs to be said that living with chronic sleep deprivation can make everyday feel like a struggle. You’ve felt exhausted before – you may feel exhausted right now – and you know how hard it is to function well when you are feeling so tired. Feeling periodic exhaustion gives insight into what chronic sleep deprivation can be like.

It’s certainly a strong statement to say that chronic sleep deprivation "ruins your life”, but many will attest to the fact that feeling exhausted all the time does kill your ability to function. There are conditions cause chronic sleep deprivation, to name a few:

• Sleep apnea
• Insomnia
• Parasomnias
• Restless leg syndrome
• Circadian rhythm disorders

By chronic sleep deprivation, most studies tend to look at getting less than 6 hours of sleep per night on a continual basis. Let’s look at the critical ways chronic sleep deprivation can make your life feel like a perpetual struggle.

What is Narcolepsy?

Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder characterized by a frequent and sometimes uncontrollable desire for sleep. This can result into sudden lapses into sleep at any time, any place. The result is that normal patterns and rhythms of sleeping become abnormal. For example, someone suffering from narcolepsy may end up sleeping several times during the day and then having trouble sleeping at night.

Irregular sleeping patterns are not only inconvenient, they can have medical, emotional, and psychological consequences.

Why Sleep Environment Matters

If you are looking for ways to improve your sleep quality overall, one of the easiest ways to start is to begin by taking inventory of how your bed and bedding may be adding or subtracting to the overall experience.  Take a second to think about your bedding right now.  Does it make you feel like you want to climb right into bed?  Or is it lumpy, scratchy, or just downright too hot?

It was one said that there are two things in life not to skimp out on: comfortable shoes, and comfortable bedding.  The logic is that when you are not in one, you are in the other!

While this is not exactly true, the point remains that having comfortable bedding can support an overall quality of sleep, which can lead to an overall improved quality of life.  While there are a lot of ways to improve sleep quality, in this article you will see a few interesting and potentially new ideas.

Sleep is essential, and by extension, so is having a quality sleep environment. It can be an essential component of combatting insomnia. Continue reading to learn the ideal bedroom set up for improved sleep in the face of insomnia. 

How Many Hours of Sleep Do Children Need?

Children need more sleep than adults. The younger the child, the more sleep they need. Below is a guideline for the recommended minimum and maximum amount of sleep your child should be getting  based on their age [Sleep Foundation]. All children are different and have unique needs, but this general guideline can provide you with a baseline on which to customize. 

• Newborns 0-4 months
  • Recommended 14-17 hours per day
  • No less than 11 hours
  • No more than 19 hours
• Infants 4-12 months
  • Recommended 12-16 hours
  • No less than 10 hours
  • No more than 18 hours
• Toddlers 1-3 years
  • Recommended 11-14 hours
  • No less than 9 hours
  • No more than 16 hours
• Preschoolers 3-5 years
  • Recommended 10-13 hours
  • No less than 8 hours
  • No more than 14 hours
• Adolescents 6-13
  • Recommended 9-12 hours
  • No less than 7 hours
  • No more than 12 hours
• Teenagers 13-18 years
  • Recommended 8-10 hours
  • No less than 7 hours
  • No more than 11 hours

What’s important is to try and establish what amount of sleep allows your child to perform best. When children don’t get enough, they will suffer from sleep deprivation. Sometimes, sleep deprivation can mirror ADHD. Continue reading to learn more about the differences between the two, and how to tell them apart. 

False Beliefs About Sleep

Sleep myths are simply false information that are regularly disseminated online, at home, among friends, and so on. Unfortunately, sleep myths can also be damaging to your health if you develop sleep deprivation by adhering to them.

Sleep deprivation is an insidious condition that lowers performance and quality of life in four aspects of your life:

• Socially
• Physically
• Mentally
• Emotionally

Here are common sleep myths and the truth about them for better sleep!