Sleep Dallas Blog

Every morning you wake up with a headache and a sore throat. Throughout the day you feel tired and irritable. Most concerning of all, you occasionally (or often) wake up during the night gasping for air. What’s going on? 

If you experience any of the above symptoms, you could be suffering from a potentially life-threatening sleep disorder: sleep apnea. And as long as it goes untreated, you won’t be able to get a good night’s rest—and your health could suffer for it.

June has arrived, signaling the beginning of summer.  No matter your age, it’s likely that this time of year is spent taking advantage of the longer days and, for many of us, enjoying being near water, a cold drink in hand, with friends and family.  On the flip side, us Texans know all too well just how hot summers can get—some even refer to the summertime as Texas’ winter, as many people lounge around inside, avoiding the sweltering heat. Though, it’s a fact that anyone who experiences a summer will know all too well that sleep and the heat are not friends. Frienemies, maybe, but certainly not compatible. 

If you’re one of the many people who struggles to maintain restful sleep during the hotter months of the year … then we recommend you continue to read on! As you’ll soon learn, with a few mindful changes, you can find yourself waking up with the energy you need to take on the season each and every day. Follow these tips to help ensure a good night’s sleep no matter what summer throws our way!

Insomnia develops in one of every four Americans each year, but despite its prevalence among the general population, insomnia continues to be vastly underdiagnosed. As explained in a 2016 study, patients should be screened for insomnia consistently as they age, as aging and diabetes are most commonly associated with insomnia symptoms.

And while aging is a very broad risk factor, screening is important to tackling insomnia head-on as 27% of insomniacs don’t realize they have the condition. 

Considering insomnia is such a widely documented sleep disorder, it’s fair to wonder how this is possible—but insomnia is a bit more complex than simply having it or not. See, 30-35% of people suffer from mild insomnia, meaning that their symptoms aren’t as obvious as someone who suffers from moderate or severe insomnia. On top of that, individuals can suffer from acute (short-term affliction) or chronic insomnia (long-term affliction).

We’ve all been there: Lying in bed, wide-awake, cursing the coffee you had in the middle of the afternoon. Or perhaps it was those two miles you ran before bed. Or maybe it’s that deadline you’ve been stressing about.

For anyone that has suffered from elusive or unrefreshing sleep, you know that the smallest thing can derail a good night’s rest. The good news, however, is that small things can also improve your potential to get quality sleep — and one of those things is diet.

Getting comfortable in order to fall asleep is essential. Think about that moment before you fall asleep. What sleep position do you go to first? When you wake up in the morning, what position do you find yourself in?

Most people have a preferred sleep position in which they spend much of the night — but is that the most beneficial position for your specific health needs? What many people don’t realize is that each sleep position comes with its own set of pros and cons. The way in which we sleep plays a direct role in our everyday health.

Though there are several variations, sleep positions generally fall into the following three categories. Each category’s benefits may vary based on variations that include placement of arms or other body parts, or the strategic utilization of a pillow used for support.

Sleep apnea is a potentially life-threatening disorder in which breathing is frequently interrupted while you’re asleep, forcing you to briefly wake up in order to begin breathing again. It’s important to note that sleep apnea is not uncommon. In fact, nearly 1 billion people suffer from sleep apnea worldwide; and in 2014, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine released a statement that called the rising prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea a threat to public safety.

If you keep waking up with a sore throat and/or headache, frequently feel exhausted throughout the day, or have heard your partner complain about loud snoring throughout the night, you might have sleep apnea.

Leaving sleep apnea untreated can lead to or exacerbate a variety of other associated conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, and could even increase your risk of having a stroke or heart attack.