Harmful Misconceptions about Sleep

06 Aug Harmful Misconceptions about Sleep

We tend to hear myths about sleep. Many have been around since before we were born, and people tend to simply accept them as fact. While most of these are fairly harmless, some are highly detrimental to your health.
Here are a few such examples, and the truth behind them.

1. You can make up for lost sleep on the weekend – Spending the entire week sleep deprived, and then dozing for long hours on the weekend is a common practice among people with demanding jobs and hectic schedules. But research shows that those two days aren’t nearly enough to fix the damage and get you back into top shape.

While one long snooze marathon will eliminate the short term effects of sleep deprivation, chronic sleep-scarce weeks will eventually take their toll on your mind and body. You still need to get an adequate amount of sleep every night if you want your energy and health to stay at ideal levels.

2. Insomnia is normal for some people – Some people think that lack of sleep is a natural part of their lives, and they just have to learn how to live with it. Insomnia isn’t something that simply targets some people and not others; it’s caused by several distinct factors:

• Pre-sleeping habits – You need to prepare your brain for sleep hours before you get into bed. Activities like exercising, drinking alcohol and coffee, or watching TV late in the day will sabotage your efforts at falling asleep when night comes.
• Sleeping environment – If you’re not comfortable, it will be much harder to fall asleep. Keep the room dark, quiet, and cool. Get rid of distractions such as clocks; watching the minutes tick by will agitate you.
• Your bed – Like we mentioned before, comfort plays a big role in falling asleep. Your current bed might be too hard or too soft. If you sleep with a partner, then the bed might be too small for the two of you to be comfortable; consider upgrading to a queen sized or king sized bed.
• Health problems – There’s a chance that your insomnia is a symptom of an underlying medical or psychological condition. In such a situation, it’s important to ask for professional help from your doctor.

3. Snoring is annoying, but ultimately harmless – Although many cases of snoring result in little more than an irritated partner, it can also be a symptom of a potentially life threatening sleep disorder. Sleep apnea is characterized by pauses in breathing. These pauses usually last from 10 to 20 seconds, and may occur hundreds of times in a single night. If your partner notices frequent pauses occur in your snoring, or if you make choking or gasping sounds in your sleep, then you should consult a doctor.

Remember, the one universal truth about sleep is that it’s not something you can ever neglect. Sleep is an important part of your daily routine, and you should make sure that you’re getting enough. 2 Brothers Mattress will help you by making sure that your bed is as comfortable as possible. Visit us today and find the perfect mattress for your needs.