Quality sleep is as important as drinking water for our health. Poor quality, inefficient sleep also lowers immunity. Chronic insomnia not only disrupts the quality of life and immunity, but also prepares the ground for some life-threatening diseases and also affects the life span.
Stating that physical, mental and psychological well-being is only possible with a healthy sleep, Liv Hospital Chest Diseases Specialist Prof. Dr. Ferah Ece points out that if sleep diseases are not treated, they can cause heart, blood pressure, obesity, gastrointestinal diseases and psychiatric disorders.
What is poor sleep?
The main measure of a good sleep is waking up vigorously in the morning and feeling fit during the day. Poor quality sleep is characterized by constant night awakenings and morning fatigue. Sleep disorders cause respiratory disorders, and these irregularities cause the person to wake up partially or completely during the night. These half or full wakefulness states prevent the patient from sleeping deeply and uninterruptedly and impair the quality of sleep.
What can poor sleep cause?
A poor quality sleep accompanied by very loud snoring and waking up with the feeling of drowning disrupts concentration and lowers immunity. In addition, forgetfulness, morning headache, waking up with nausea and nervousness are common conditions.
Sleep in the dark at night to wake up fresh in the morning
It is necessary to sleep in the dark in order to wake up vigorously in the morning and to strengthen the immune system. Because the melatonin hormone, which regulates the immune system and protects the body's biological clock, is secreted between 23.00 and 05.00. When you sleep in the dark between these hours, the hormone renews the cells.
Follow the recommendations, sleep well
Lose weight: When you lose weight, breathing during sleep will improve, sleep will be more restful, and daytime sleepiness will decrease.
Avoid alcohol and sleeping pills: Alcohol intake should be stopped at least four hours before bedtime. Excessive alcohol breathing suppresses breathing and increases the frequency and severity of breathing stops during sleep. Drugs such as alcohol and sleeping pills, muscle relaxants, anxiety suppressants, and painkillers can cause relaxation in the upper respiratory tract muscles and cause airway obstruction.
Quit smoking: It is thought that the irritation caused by smoking increases the severity of snoring and apnea. Quitting smoking is very helpful in improving breathing during sleep.
Do not lie on your back: Lying on your back causes the soft tissues in the neck and throat to slide backwards and consequently narrow or complete obstruction of the airway. Pillows to be placed on the back of the patient or a tennis ball placed in a pocket to be sewn on the back of his pajama can prevent the patient from lying on his back.
Choose comfortable and orthopedic pillows: Sleeping with comfortable beds and pillows that support the body increases the quality of sleep, especially for the elderly, those with joint problems, those with arthrosis and those with heart and lung disease. Those with bone, muscle and joint diseases should use orthopedic mattresses and pillows.
Your bed sheet, duvet cover and pillowcase should be made of cotton: Cotton fabric is recommended as it is a material that allows air flow.
Eat your food at least 3 hours before bedtime: It is necessary to allow the stomach to empty, to reduce respiration and pressure on the heart at bedtime.
Avoid fatty, fried and spicy meals at dinner: Fatty, fried and spicy foods eaten at dinner may cause reflux, making it difficult to fall asleep and disrupt sleep quality.
Be the first to comment