Improve your sleep with tips from a Buckhead specialist!
The alarm goes off, and you drag yourself out of bed. It takes a while to feel like you can face the day ahead (possibly after a cup or two of coffee). According to Dr. Matthew Schmitt of Piedmont Physicians Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine in Buckhead, this slow motion movement in the morning is quite normal. “We refer to this as sleep inertia,” he says. “We feel a little sleepy, and we find it hard to have motivation to do anything. Most people have some degree of sleep inertia after they wake up. It usually lasts 15 to 30 minutes, and then we go about our day and realize that we actually feel fine.”
However, if you feel fatigued and unable to function throughout the day, it might be time to investigate your sleep quality. Not getting the seven to nine hours of nightly sleep recommended by the federal Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion can be detrimental. Fortunately, there are steps to get back on track.
MORE THAN A FEELING
Poor sleep can be responsible for more than daytime lethargy. “There are myriad problems you can experience, even feeling that your memory is not as good as it used to be,” Schmitt says. “You can also have uncontrolled hypertension or difficulty controlling diabetes, and there is a lot of data supporting a very strong association between sleep and cardiac arrhythmias. Sleep can even be connected to fatty liver disease and the gallbladder system.”
If symptoms can’t be attributed to any specific condition, Schmitt recommends visiting a sleep medicine specialist. “Sleep should be one of the standard vital signs we look at,” he says. “How can we optimize our functioning in the daytime if we don’t optimize what we’re doing at nighttime?”
MEDICAL MARVELS
If you are diagnosed with a disorder such as obstructive sleep apnea that narrows airways during sleep and interrupts breathing, a sleep aid like a CPAP machine can be beneficial. However, that is not the only medical intervention available. Schmitt explains that oral appliance therapy involves the use of custom- made retainers to keep your lower jaw forward and your airways open while you sleep. There also are surgery options for the back of the mouth and throat, as well as implant technologies. Additionally, pharma companies are working on pills to help treat sleep apnea.
AT-HOME OPTIONS
You might take steps to improve your sleep on your own. For instance, Schmitt recommends stopping caffeine intake as many as six hours before bedtime, as well as avoiding large meals at least two hours before turning in. He suggests putting down your smart devices an hour before going to bed and sleeping in a dark, cool, quiet room. Having a bedtime and wake up time to help set your circadian rhythm (your body’s internal clock) for optimal sleep is key. And while catching up during a marathon weekend sleep session can be helpful at times, Schmitt says, “If you are depriving yourself of sleep every week for long periods of your life, there may still be some detrimental effects to your body.”
As you adjust your habits, keep a sleep diary for a week or two so you can track changes in your amount and quality of sleep and overall wellness. “Sometimes when you take your own assessment, you can solve your own mystery,” Schmitt says. If not, the information can be helpful to your doctor—and it’s important to seek help if you don’t see improvements. “We need to give sleep some priority and respect,” he adds. “The engine of your car can’t run without oil, and your brain cannot run without sleep.”
PIEDMONT PHYSICIANS PULMONARY AND SLEEP MEDICINE BUCKHEAD
404.350.0009
piedmont.org
@piedmonthealth
