The Better Sleep Clinic
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Science for better sleep. Understand the science of sleep, & the truth about how to get a good night's sleep. What works for insomnia? What causes sleep problems? Do sleep problems affect performance? Does losing sleep affect wellbeing?
The Better Sleep Clinic
2y ago
Science shows that the need for 8 hours of sleep for an adult is a myth when it comes to optimal health
Optimal adult sleep hours are one of the biggest myths in sleep science.
“You need to get 8 hours of sleep a night”. Just like “brush your teeth in the morning and night” and “don’t wipe your butt with sandpaper”, 8 hours of sleep is common health knowledge everyone’s mum told them. But is it legit? Could the idea that adults need 8 hours of sleep be a myth?
Do you actually need an 8 hour sleep each night? Is 8 hours of sleep ideal?
And if 8 hours of sleep is good, surely 9, 10, 11 or ..read more
The Better Sleep Clinic
3y ago
Normal sleep for an adult changes across the lifespan
What is normal sleep for an adult? Is my sleep pattern normal? Will my sleep change as I age?
Strangely, even as an insomnia treatment specialist, I rarely get asked the question 'what is normal sleep for an adult'?
Perhaps we just intuitively know what normal sleep is for an adult?
Or perhaps we simply assume our sleep is normal because we only occasionally wake in the woods, surrounded by mauled sheep, slight taste of blood in our mouths?
But seriously, taking the time to understand what normal sleep for an adult should be, or at l ..read more
The Better Sleep Clinic
3y ago
Sleep hygiene advice is everywhere on the net, too bad it doesn’t help as an insomnia treatment
Insomnia sucks. And when a health problem strikes, if you’re anything like me, it’ll make perfect sense for you to find some information by turning to the world’s most reliable source of conspiracy theories, misinformation and Nigerian princes wanting to send you money: The Interweb.
For sleep problems and insomnia treatment, Dr. Google’s most popular advice is undeniably “sleep hygiene”. Sleep hygiene is a set of instructions on “do’s” and “don’ts” to get a better night’s sleep.
Sleep hygien ..read more
The Better Sleep Clinic
3y ago
Feeling sleepy is the brain’s way of saying it’s exhausted.
Unless you’re the terminator, you’ve probably noticed that the longer you’re awake, the more tired you get.
But before you dismiss your sleepiness as a sign of weakness to be obliterated with another cup of coffee, take a moment to consider why do we get sleepy at all? Until recently, it’s been a scientific mystery.
Sleep scientists have long known that sleepiness results when levels of the neurotransmitter adenosine increase in the brain. But what they haven’t known is why is adenosine released? What’s the trigger?
What Causes Us To ..read more
The Better Sleep Clinic
3y ago
Normal sleep for an adult changes across the lifespan
What is normal sleep for an adult? Is my sleep pattern normal? Will my sleep change as I age?
Strangely, even as an insomnia treatment specialist, I rarely get asked the question 'what is normal sleep for an adult'?
Perhaps we just intuitively know what normal sleep is for an adult?
Or perhaps we simply assume our sleep is normal because we only occasionally wake in the woods, surrounded by mauled sheep, slight taste of blood in our mouths?
But seriously, taking the time to understand what normal sleep for an adult should be, or at l ..read more
The Better Sleep Clinic
3y ago
Sleep hygiene advice is everywhere on the net, too bad it doesn’t help as an insomnia treatment
Insomnia sucks. And when a health problem strikes, if you’re anything like me, it’ll make perfect sense for you to find some information by turning to the world’s most reliable source of conspiracy theories, misinformation and Nigerian princes wanting to send you money: The Interweb.
For sleep problems and insomnia treatment, Dr. Google’s most popular advice is undeniably “sleep hygiene”. Sleep hygiene is a set of instructions on “do’s” and “don’ts” to get a better night’s sleep.
Sleep hygien ..read more
The Better Sleep Clinic
3y ago
Physicians & clinics should screen for & treat insomnia symptoms first.
Obstructive sleep apnoea (also spelt ‘apnea’)(OSA) is a sleep disorder that can eventually kill (it killed Carrie Fisher of Princess Leia/Star Wars fame).
OSA patients comprise around 10% of the population and suffer from frequent airway narrowing events (i.e. they stop breathing) during sleep. This leads to poor quality sleep, difficulties functioning during the day due to sleepiness, and a host of heart, weight, and other medical problems.
About one-third of OSA patients also report clinically significant ..read more
The Better Sleep Clinic
3y ago
Science shows eight hours of sleep isn’t the ideal amount for optimal health
“You need to get 8 hours of sleep a night”. Just like “brush your teeth in the morning and night” and “don’t wipe your butt with sandpaper”, it’s common health knowledge everyone’s mum told them. But is it legit?
Do you actually need 8 hours of sleep a night? Is eight
hours of sleep ideal?
And if 8 hours is good, surely 9, 10, 11 or even 25 hours of sleep a night must be even better? Can’t get too much of a good thing right?
Surprisingly, the largest and most comprehensive analysis of sleep duration and he ..read more
The Better Sleep Clinic
3y ago
Sleep hygiene advice is everywhere on the net, too bad it doesn’t help insomnia
When a health problem strikes, if you’re anything like me, it’ll make perfect sense for you to turn to the world’s most reliable source of conspiracy theories, misinformation and Nigerian princes wanting to send you money: The Interweb.
For sleep problems and insomnia, Dr. Google’s most popular advice is undeniably “sleep hygiene”. Sleep hygiene is a set of instructions on “do’s” and “don’ts” to get a better night’s sleep.
Sleep hygiene advice ranges from cutting back on caffeine (sensible), to sleeping in a ..read more
The Better Sleep Clinic
3y ago
Sleep loss can rapidly impair basic bodily functions to a surprising extent
Physical health is kinda like the Holy Grail of our times - everyone’s on some kind of health quest.
So what does the internet and media tell us we need for our quest? Got the exercise program? Check. Got the diet plan? Check. All good to go then?
Not so fast.
Science is increasingly showing that sleep is fundamental to physical health. And a study from the University of Chicago has highlighted just how quickly poor sleep can turn a dashing young Sir Lancelot into the physical health equivalent of a haggar ..read more