Are You Sleep Deprived?

You may think you just happen to always be tired or you’re just one of those people who can sleep anywhere at any time, but these are not random personality quirks, they’re actually symptoms of a serious health problem - sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation is an issue that is not only serious, but extremely common. In fact, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost a third of American adults are sleep deprived. Here are 5 indicators that you may be suffering from sleep deprivation.

1. It takes you a short period of time to fall asleep

It may seem like you’re one of the lucky ones, because while others toss and turn for 20+ minutes before drifting off to sleep, you’re out within 2 minutes of hitting your pillow. Although it can be nice to fall asleep quickly, the process is meant to take approximately 5 - 15 minutes. Falling asleep in less than 5 minutes is a sign that you may be sleep deprived.

2. You have trouble staying awake during the day

This one is a bit of a no-brainer, if you’re having trouble staying awake during the day, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that you need more sleep. Although it may not seem like it at first, daytime drowsiness is one of the more dangerous symptoms of sleep deprivation as it can lead to drowsy driving.

3. You are tired after waking up from a long rest

Ever wake up after sleeping for 8+ hours, yet still feel tired? This can happen for a couple different reasons. One reason may be that you didn’t get a deep enough sleep. The other reason may be that your body has incurred a sleep deficit over time and now requires more than the standard 8 hours of sleep in order to get back on track.

4. You are moody/irritable throughout the day

Research has proven that sleep has a significant impact on your mood, and unfortunately, the effects of sleep deprivation go far beyond a temporary attitude change. Overtime, lack of sleep can lead to depression and other mental illnesses.

5. You have a hard time focusing

Ever had one of those weeks (or maybe even months) where you’re just not on top of your game? A good night’s sleep is crucial for proper cognitive function, which is why if you’re struggling to remember things, having a hard time focusing, or experiencing difficulty with general problem solving, you may be sleep deprived.

Sleep deprivation can sneak up on you, and if you’re not careful, it can begin to negatively affect many different areas of your life. Ready to start sleeping better? Check out the Good Morning Snore Solution mouthpiece.

source https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/blogs/news/are-you-sleep-deprived

How Sleep Affects Your Mental Health

It doesn’t take long for you to notice that you’ve caught a cold or that you have the flu. That’s because we can all tell pretty quickly when we feel unwell physically. What can be harder to identify but can have just as much (if not more) impact is your mental health.

One of the many crucial elements of maintaining good mental health is sleep, so if you’re not getting a good night’s sleep, you can guarantee your mental health is suffering because of it. Here are 4 ways lack of sleep has an impact on your mental health.

1. Lack of sleep can lead to depression

Several studies have been conducted that prove a strong link between sleep deprivation and depression. These studies have shown that in the absence of a good night’s sleep, humans are far more likely to develop a long term, serious depression than those who rest well at night.

2. Lack of sleep dramatically impacts your mood

If you’re feeling angry, sad, irritable or just more negative in general, this could easily be due to lack of sleep. And although this may seem like more of a temporary effect, research has shown that lack of sleep can also trigger lapses for those struggling with illnesses such as bipolar disorder.

3. Lack of sleep can lead to increased stress

You know how people say “let’s sleep on it and discuss it again tomorrow”? Well, we say that because part of the function of sleep is to help your brain reset. Sleep helps us process the information we’ve taken in during the day and correctly categorize it. If you don’t have a good night’s sleep, your brain hasn’t been able to correctly process information and properly reset. Because of this, you will be far more stressed throughout the day which can lead to more serious anxiety problems.

4. Lack of sleep slows you down

A good night’s sleep is crucial for proper cognitive function. Lack of sleep leads to reduced memory, lack of focus, difficulty learning, and slower reaction times. As performance and productivity begin to decrease due to sleep deprivation, individuals may begin to experience lack of self-confidence, stress and increased anxiety.

It’s easy for us to recognize when we are physically sick and take action, but when our mental health is slowly declining, this can often go unnoticed. Keep your mind and body in top shape with a good night’s sleep.

source https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/blogs/news/how-sleep-affects-your-mental-health

Can You Catch Up On Sleep?

The consequences of sleep deprivation are numerous, and troubling to say the least. The short term effects of sleep deprivation include decreased cognitive function, anxiety, reduced vision and moodiness. The long term effects include heart disease, obesity, depression, and many other serious health issues. It goes without saying that nobody wants to be sleep deprived, but unfortunately, with the busy schedule that accompanies most of our lives, sleep often gets put on the back-burner, which leads many of us to say the following statement: “I’ll just catch up on my sleep over the weekend.”

So, is catching up on sleep a real thing? Or is it just a concept we’ve created to make ourselves feel better about not getting enough sleep during the week?

Surprisingly enough, you actually can catch up on sleep, but not the way you might think. Making up for a sleep deficit takes time and commitment, and is not something that can be done over a weekend.

If you are partially sleep deprived, your body may require more than the standard 8 hours of sleep each night to get back on track. If you listen to your body and consistently sleep for an additional few hours, over time, you can return to your natural sleep pattern.

What you can’t do, however, is cure your sleep deprivation by sleeping for 15 hours on a Saturday night. You also can’t make up for a long stint of insufficient sleep in the past, at that point, the damage has been done. The key is to act quickly and respond to your body’s signals when trying to correct a sleep deficit.  

Ultimately, what your body craves is consistency in your sleep schedule, which is why a regular cadence of sufficient sleep will always produce a better quality of life then going back and forth between varying lengths of sleep.

Are you sleeping 7-8 hours every night, but still not feeling rested? Did you know that snoring has a major effect on how well you sleep? Learn how snoring affects your sleep cycle.

source https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/blogs/news/can-you-catch-up-on-sleep

The Best Sleep Memes on the Internet Right Now

These memes about sleep are hilarious, and pretty much sum up how we’re all feeling at any given time.

When you’re gonna get that nap in...whatever it takes.

 

When you love sleep, and you also love food.

 

When sleep is the perfect escape vehicle.

 

When your hand gets all tingly.

 

When you're just not a morning person.

 

When you're in that post-nap daze.

 

When the sleep deprivation kicks in.

source https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/blogs/news/the-best-sleep-memes-on-the-internet-right-now

Snoring and the Stages of Sleep: How Snoring Affects Your Sleep Cycle

When you sleep, your body travels back and forth between different stages. Each stage has an important purpose, and if you’re a snorer, chances are there are some stages of sleep that you’re not experiencing as much as you should be. Sleep stages can be divided into four or five general categories. To make things simple, let’s divide the cycles into four stages: stage 1, stage 2, stage 3 and REM.

Stage 1

This stage happens when you’re just beginning to doze off. Your brain activity will start to slow down, and your muscles are beginning to relax.

Stage 2

In stage 2, you begin to transition from just dozing off into actual sleep. In this stage, your brain activity continues to slow down even more and your muscles are beginning to fully relax. This is the point where your throat muscles become so relaxed that the tongue falls to the back of your throat, blocking your airway and thus causing snoring. This lighter stage of sleep aids in mental and physical restoration and is where you’ll spend a good chunk of your night.

Stage 3

Although light sleep is important, it’s your deep sleep that most strongly promotes physical and cognitive recovery. In fact, this stage is so important, that you could wake up from a 9-hour sleep and still feel tired because you did not spend enough time in this stage. Unfortunately, this is where things get especially bad for snorers.

Those who snore end up spending far less time in stage 3. The reason for this is, if your airway is being blocked, your body is not getting an easy flow of oxygen, and as a result, you won’t be able to move from stage 2 to stage 3. Similarly, if you suffer from sleep apnea, you may not realize it, but you are waking up several times in the night, again, preventing you from falling into a deeper sleep.

REM

Rapid eye movement (REM) is a stage in which your brain is extremely active, while your muscles are virtually paralyzed. This is the stage where you experience very vivid dreams. For those with sleep apnea, the paralysis or hyper relaxation can be that much more damaging, as it can cause the airway to be completely blocked.

If you snore or suffer from sleep apnea, your sleep is being disrupted, meaning your body is constantly being prevented from transitioning into a deeper sleep. This will not only affect how rested you feel the next morning, but will also interfere with your body’s ability to maintain a strong immune system and metabolism, and prevents the body from growing and strengthening in many other ways.

Don’t let snoring and sleep apnea reduce your quality of life. Stop snoring and start living today.

source https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/blogs/news/snoring-and-the-stages-of-sleep-how-snoring-affects-your-sleep-cycle

5 Things to Try if you Can't Sleep

Have you ever been utterly exhausted all day long only to not be able to fall asleep at night? Let’s just say it’s incredibly annoying. Now, for more serious sleep issues such as insomnia, this list may not be so helpful. But if you’re just having one of those nights and can’t seem to fall asleep, these 5 things should help.  

1. Listen to music

Listening to some relaxing music is a great way to soothe yourself and clear your head. And we’ve made it easy for you! We’ve put together a list of some of our favourite songs to fall asleep to. Check it out here

2. Read a book

Reading a book is another great way to take your mind off the fact that you can’t sleep while still remaining calm and relaxed. If you need to, leave your room and head to the living room. Turn on a lamp, curl up with a blanket and dive into a good book (nothing too exciting of course). After 20 minutes or so, you should feel yourself start to doze off.

3. Stretch

This may seem like an odd one, but trust us, it works! Doing some simple yoga poses or light stretching is a great way to relax your muscles, calm your breath and clear your mind.

4. Adjust the temperature

Research shows that the ideal temperature to sleep in is between 18 and 22 degrees celsius. So if you can’t sleep, you may have the heat on a bit too high, or maybe you have too many blankets on you. Play around with the temperature until you find that sweet spot that’s perfect for you.

5. Tell yourself a story

Think of this as a modern spin on the old ‘counting sheep’ strategy. Try to relive all of the events of your day from start to finish, or try to ‘watch’ your favourite movie in your head. By going through events and telling yourself somewhat of a story, you once again distract yourself from the issue at hand and can more easily drift off to sleep.

Not being able to fall is always a frustrating experience, these 5 tips should make it a bit easier to get snoozing. Is stress keeping you up? Here are 5 ways to conquer stress and get to sleep

source https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/blogs/news/5-things-to-try-if-you-cant-sleep

5 Ways to Stay Awake During the Day

We’ve all been there; we fully intend to lock in a solid 8 hours of sleep every night, but life happens, and that’s not always possible. So you’re at the office, fighting to keep your eyes open with everything you have, and counting down the minutes until it’s time to leave. Most people gravitate to coffee in a scenario like this, and although that’s not the worst thing you can do, caffeine has a number of disadvantages including dehydrating your body and interfering with your sleep. Try these five caffeine-free methods the next time you’re battling heavy eyelids during the day.

1. Pinch yourself

As cliche as this sounds, it actually works. If you’re sitting in a team meeting at work and you just can’t keep yourself from drifting off, give yourself a good hard pinch. By administering a tiny jolt of pain, you’ll surprise yourself and gain some temporary alertness.

2. Daydream

Now, we don’t recommend doing this one during an important meeting, but if you’re doing some mundane tasks and you’re finding yourself drifting off, try getting excited about something. Maybe you have a vacation coming up or an event you’re looking forward to. Whatever it is, think about something that excites you to keep your mind preoccupied.

3. Eat

Try snacking on something light that can last you a long time, like a bag of carrot sticks or some nuts. This will once again keep you preoccupied and will also provide you with some energy.

4. Drink a lot of water

Being even slightly dehydrated can make you feel that much more tired. Drinking water will not only give you something to do and act as a refreshing pick-me-up, but it will also hydrate your body, allowing you to be more alert.

5. Get cold

If you need a quick pick-me-up during the day, try splashing cold water on your face. Or, if it’s a chilly day, go for a quick walk outside. The temperature shock will provide a nice jolt to your system, and you’ll return to your duties feeling quite refreshed.

Whether you’re trying to get things done at home or at the office, daytime dosing can be tricky to combat. Try these five tips to fight the daytime drowsiness and stay awake.

Are you dosing off during the day despite getting a good night’s sleep? This could be why.

source https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/blogs/news/5-ways-to-stay-awake-during-the-day

These 3 Things Make Up the Perfect Morning Routine

Most of us are creatures of habit, but the trick is developing the right kinds of habits. If you haven’t already, here are some things you should make a habit of doing each and every morning.

1. Eat breakfast

It’s so easy to overlook, but it’s so important. Eating breakfast has countless benefits, including boosting metabolism, increasing cognitive function and curbing hunger throughout the day. For more information on the importance of eating breakfast, and for easy breakfast ideas, click here.

2. Exercise

This is a tough one. It’s hard to exercise every morning - no doubt. But the good news is, it doesn’t need to be a thorough, drenched-in-sweat kind of workout in order to count. Even if it’s just a short jog or 10 minutes of yoga, taking the time to get your heart rate up first thing in the morning will help boost your metabolism, improve your mood, and increase alertness.

3. Hydrate

Whether you feel thirsty or not, your body is quite dehydrated by the time you wake up. Drinking a full cup of water before eating breakfast is yet another metabolism booster and also helps to flush out toxins.

With just a little bit of planning, these three things can be slipped into your daily schedule and trust us, it won’t take long for you to reap the benefits.

A good morning begins with a good night’s sleep. Our products will help you sleep deeper and much quieter. View our selection here.

source https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/blogs/news/these-3-things-make-up-the-perfect-morning-routine