How is Your Sleep?

Aug 23, 2022

6 minute read

by MD Connected

Tips for a Better Nights Rest

Sleep is directly connected with mental and physical health. It is a time when we strengthen neural connections to store important information and discard irrelevant information. Our muscles undergo repair during this time so they can grow and maintain their strength. Sleep also plays a huge role in the healthy regulation of hormone levels, emotions, and most other areas of our general health. Knowing this, it is important to prioritize high-quality sleep.

What does your body do when you are regularly not getting enough sleep? There are some nights where even counting sheep doesn’t help lull you to sleep. While this is normal to happen occasionally, regular difficulty falling asleep can turn into larger health problems.

SLEEP APNEA AND INSOMNIA

There could be something more going on than drinking too much coffee that’s preventing you from getting a full night’s rest. Sleep Apnea and Insomnia are two common sleep disorders that could keep you awake.

What are Sleep Apnea and Insomnia?

While there are two types of Sleep Apnea, the more common of the two is when your airways become momentarily blocked in a repetitive cycle throughout the night. This can cause symptoms like snoring, night sweats, daytime fatigue, high blood pressure and more. It is possible for anyone of any age or gender to have Sleep Apnea, but it more commonly affects men over 50 and those who are overweight.

Insomnia is another sleep disorder that causes someone to have a difficult time falling asleep at night and difficulty staying asleep. It can cause symptoms like higher stress levels, difficulty remembering or concentrating, increased irritability, mood changes and daytime fatigue. 1 in 2 adults have experienced short-term Insomnia but 1 in 10 are likely to have a long-lasting condition.

What Risks are Associated with Sleep Apnea and Insomnia?

Both sleep disorders are linked to problems with the cardiovascular system, with an increased chance of heart failure, stroke, and high blood pressure. Insomnia can also have complications with brain function and mental health. Weight gain, obesity, and diabetes can also be causes of Insomnia. Sleep deprivation, in general, can be hard on your Immune System, making you more susceptible to catching viral illnesses and bacterial infections.

If you are experiencing a sleep disorder or its symptoms, speak with an MD Connected doctor at one of our many clinics or book a virtual appointment for a recommendation on next steps.

To learn more about how you can use Telemedicine services to help with sleep apnea, check out this article: Telemedicine for Sleep Apnea.

TIPS FOR BETTER SLEEP

The management of sleep difficulties may be helped by making slight lifestyle adjustments. We’ve outlined 4 tips that could be helpful to stop your tossing and turning.

Create a Sleep Schedule and Avoid Naps

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Your body does best when it has a routine. Try to create a sleep schedule with a fixed wake-up time and bedtime. Budget for the correct number of hours and do your best to follow this schedule every day. Adults should aim for 7+ hours of sleep every night. To allow your body time to adjust, gradually change your wake-up and bedtimes by 1-2 hours until you are following your new sleep schedule.

You should also avoid taking naps as much as possible. This will disrupt the schedule that you have created for yourself by making it more difficult to fall asleep at night. If you need to take a nap, try your best to make it short and earlier in the day.

Be Mindful of your Diet

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Be mindful of what you consume leading up to the time you usually go to sleep as it can affect the quality of sleep that you get. Caffeine is known to be a stimulant and will keep you awake well into the night. Although alcohol does often make you drowsy, it will reduce your quality of sleep, making you still feel tired the next day no matter how many hours you get. When it comes to dinner, it is better to allow time for digestion before going to bed for the night. Try to avoid eating late dinners and try to stay away from sugary, fatty, or spicy snacks before bed.

Optimize your Environment

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Creating the perfect environment will improve your quality of sleep drastically. Make sure it is dark and quiet enough to prevent disruption, that the temperature isn’t too hot or too cold for you, that the space isn’t causing chaos with clutter, and your mattress and bed set are comfortable.

Your brain produces a hormone called melatonin which makes you feel drowsy. It produces more of it when it’s dark and less when it’s light. Get plenty of sunlight through open curtains or mid-day walks to help regulate your sleep cycle.

Wind Down Time

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Make time for yourself to wind down before going to bed. Create calming habits like meditation, reading a book or taking a relaxing bath. The goal is to think about relaxing instead of falling asleep and squash any stress that might be lingering from the day.

It’s good to avoid things like cell phone use or vigorous exercise late at night as it’s more likely to wake you up or make it harder to sleep. The light from your cell phone will block the hormones that make you feel drowsy. Exercise too close to bedtime does not allow the body enough time to cool down and calm down.

Knowing when to contact your doctor is the most important tip. If you are having trouble sleeping every night and it’s affecting your health or the way you live your everyday life, seek help by booking an appointment with an MD Connected doctor.

CLINIC SPOTLIGHT: MEDICINE SHOPPE IN OTTAWA

Located at 381 Kent Street, Unit 102, Ottawa, ON, K2P 2A8.

MD Connected has a clinic in Ottawa located on Kent St. in the Medicine Shoppe. They offer virtual care consultations and have a nurse on-site to help during your appointment. If you need a prescription refill, UTI or STI testing, have skin concerns, or in need of a general consultation, book an appointment through our online portal!

This clinic is by appointment only, they are not currently accepting walk-ins.

MD CONNECTED: CLINICS NEARBY

MD Connected Ltd. can help you save time and energy when you book an online doctor’s appointment. After the appointment, if necessary, a virtual prescription by one of our Canadian doctors will be sent directly to your pharmacy.

MD Connected Ltd. is led by a diverse team of doctors with varying backgrounds and provides its services in multiple languages. Hundreds of thousands of Canadians have used MD Connected for general consultations, prescription renewals, sexual health, mental wellness, travel health, sick notes and forms, and more.

To learn more about MD Connected Ltd. and telehealth in Canada, contact us by visiting www.mdconnected.ca or e-mail us at mydoc@mdconnected.ca.

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