Each night, you go to sleep to give your body and mind a chance to rest and recuperate. But what if the hours you spend sleeping each night aren't actually giving you the rest you think it is?
Many people don't get enough sleep — or quality sleep — on a regular basis. According to Aloknath Anirudha Pandya, MD, Pulmonologist and Sleep Specialist at Chester County Hospital in West Chester, PA, diagnosing and treating sleep disorders is a major part of a pulmonologist’s job. "We practice sleep medicine because of the sheer amount of sleep problems that we encounter in the community," he explains.
What Kinds of Issues Could Be Impacting My Sleep?
Many people assume that if you spend enough time sleeping each night, you're good to go. However, this isn't exactly the case. Plenty of factors can impact the quality of your sleep, from where you're sleeping to what's going on in your body as you're snoozing.
Sleep Hygiene
Your sleep environment and habits — also known as sleep hygiene — have a major impact on how well you sleep. What you eat, drink and do before bedtime, as well as the temperature of your bedroom, can all lead to poor sleep hygiene.
To promote positive sleep hygiene:
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Go to bed — and wake up — at the same time each day, including weekends.
- Keep your bedroom dark, quiet and cool (around 60 to 67°F, or the temperature that is comfortable for you).
- Don't use electronic devices, including your phone or television, in your bedroom for two hours before bedtime.
- Avoid alcohol, caffeine and big meals close to bedtime.
- Get some physical activity, preferably earlier in the day for a better night's rest.
If you're unable to fall asleep after about twenty minutes, do a quiet activity that doesn't involve much light exposure. For instance, you might read a book with a dimmed light to wind down.
Sleep specialists like Dr. Pandya can help determine which sleep habits are helping — and which ones are hurting — your quality of sleep. "Working on proper sleep habits can be really rewarding because then people get refreshing sleep," he says.
Sleep Apnea
Another common issue with getting quality sleep is sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is when your breathing stops and starts back up repeatedly throughout the night. This keeps your body from getting enough oxygen.
There are two kinds of sleep apnea. The more prevalent kind is obstructive sleep apnea, which is when your airway closes up, restricting or halting airflow. This can be due to a change in hormone levels, obesity or large tonsils.
"This can happen many, many times over the course of the night, and it means that people don't get deep, refreshing sleep because their brain wave patterns are going from someone who is asleep to someone who's awake," explains Dr. Pandya. "So even though someone feels like they got seven or eight hours of sleep, they wake up feeling unrefreshed."
Central sleep apnea, on the other hand, is when your brain doesn't give your body the signals it needs to breathe properly. This can be caused by health conditions that impact your brain and how it controls your chest muscles or airway.
According to Dr. Pandya, sleep apnea is underdiagnosed, and it doesn't just impact how well-rested you feel — it can affect your overall health. "Untreated sleep apnea can adversely affect one's cardiovascular health, neurologic health, and quality of life in general," says Dr. Pandya.
With a simple at-home sleep apnea test, you can find out if you have sleep apnea and get the treatment you need.
Other Sleep Disorders
While sleep hygiene and sleep apnea are the more common sleep issues, there are other sleep disorders that might be impacting your sleep. These include:
- Narcolepsy, which impacts how your brain controls sleep-wake cycles
- Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), which causes uncomfortable feelings in your legs, including an irresistible need to move them
- Primary Insomnia, which is difficulty falling or staying asleep not caused by a medical condition or sleep hygiene issue
- Periodic Limb Movement Sisorder (PLMD), which causes periodic movements of your legs during sleep, such as flexing your knee or pointing your toes upward
- Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders, which are problems with your body's internal clock that lets you know when it's time to go to bed or wake up
When Should I See a Sleep Specialist?
A sleep specialist is equipped to diagnose and treat a wide range of sleep disorders. However, some people never get help because they don't think anything is wrong.
For instance, many people snore — and many people also assume that snoring is completely normal. "There’s a lot of self-denial that snoring is an issue because it is very common, when in fact it could be a symptom of something else that could be concerning," explains Dr. Pandya.
While snoring is just one reason to see a sleep specialist, there are other symptoms that might signal a problem.
Other common symptoms of a sleep problem include:
- Witnessed apnea, which is when a partner hears you gasping or choking in your sleep
- Headache or sore throat in the morning
- Naps that are not refreshing
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Restless leg syndrome, especially when the sensation wakes you up
- Sleep attacks, which are falling asleep at inconvenient times, like in the middle of a conversation
- Sleep paralysis, which is when you feel like you can’t move when you wake up
How a Sleep Specialist Can Help You Get Better Sleep
Getting quality sleep is important for your well-being — both physically and emotionally. A sleep specialist can help determine what's causing your sleep problems so you can get the sleep you need.
"There's a fairly comprehensive way of addressing sleep when you see a sleep physician, including discussing your general sleep hygiene and then asking nuanced questions about sleep," says Dr. Pandya.
If sleep hygiene is the issue, a sleep specialist can help you adjust your sleep schedule or environment to improve your sleep.
You may also need an at-home sleep study to check for sleep apnea. Treating sleep apnea can be as simple as making lifestyle adjustments, like exercising and quitting smoking. Or, you might require a breathing device, called a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine, which is used when you sleep to keep your airway open.
"The vast majority of my patients who are on a CPAP — about 75 to 80% — are very compliant and experience great symptomatic relief," says Dr. Pandya.
Sleep is a central part of your overall health. By getting to the root of your sleep problems, you can be well-rested, healthier, and ready to take on each day.
Do You Have Questions About How to Get Better Sleep?
Make an appointment with a sleep medicine specialist at Chester County Hospital by calling our Physician Referral Service at 800-789-PENN (7366) or visiting the Find a Doctor section of our website.