Clean Sleep: More Than Falling Into Deep Slumber

The quality of an adult person’s sleep may not always be good. Having disrupted or a few hours of sleep can affect health and productivity. These days, people are jumping into a health trend called “clean sleeping” where the goal is to have uninterrupted 8-10 hours of sleep.

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But what is clean sleeping all about? It is not just about falling asleep and waking up at the right time. It is also about having the right habits during the day that will facilitate uninterrupted slumber. Some of these habits include having a hearty breakfast before work, morning exercise, drinking the right amount of water, and consuming less caffeine. Some studies suggest that getting these tasks out of the way hours before bedtime will lead to clean sleep.

Sleeping clean is more than falling into deep slumber. Part of this practice also involves sleeping before midnight. Going to bed at 10:30 PM helps the body reach the crucial 90-minute stretch in order to reach rejuvenating levels during sleep that usually happen in the wee hours of the morning.

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Short, disrupted, or light sleep might be some of the causes for the body not to reach its peak recovery levels. The day’s activity and the body’s reaction to it can affect rest. This is why it is important to prepare the whole day to get quality shuteye. The practice of clean sleeping involves a holistic change of activities and health habits. From sunrise to sundown, it encourages a person to be conscious of how the body should be treated.

Dr Lisa Marie Cannon is an internist specializing in pulmonology, internal medicine, sleep medicine, and critical care. Visit this page for more information.

How To Deal With Sleepwalking

Sleepwalking, also known as somnambulism or noctambulism, is a sleep disorder that affects an estimated 1.5 percent of adults. It is a bit more prevalent in children, among whom there is an incidence rate of five percent.

It typically occurs during the slow-wave sleep stage, or during the first third of the sleep, and causes the sleepwalker to act as if he is in a state of full consciousness for as short as 30 seconds or as long as 30 minutes. However, he would have little or no memory of what had happened.

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What the sleepwalker does are usually harmless, repeated activities such as walking to other rooms or even just sitting on the bed. However, there have been reports of dangerous behaviors, including cooking, violent actions, and driving, resulting in injuries to the sleepwalker or other people.

There is no clinically proven psychological or pharmacological intervention that can effectively stop the occurrence of sleepwalking.

However, there are different ways of minimizing sleepwalking incidences, such as increasing the length of sleep to achieve the right amount of deep sleep, avoiding possible triggers like fatigue, alcohol, and some medications, and creating a relaxing routine before turning in.

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Sleepwalking is also usually outgrown over time, so there is no need to worry about it. But if it persists, consulting a sleep specialist or physician is recommended to check for the possibility of underlying illnesses.

New Jersey-based physician Lisa Marie Cannon earned her degree in medicine from New York City College and her fellowship in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine from the renowned Mount Sinai Hospital. Read more about her medical expertise by visiting this blog.