How Summer Affects Our Sleep
The dog days of summer will soon be here but that doesn’t mean that sleep schedules are already in jeopardy. Summer can have a significant effect on the number of hours of sleep you are getting each night.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly a third of Americans report sleeping six or fewer hours a night. Long-term sleep deprivation has been linked with a host of serious health conditions, including heart problems and obesity. Bronson Battle Creek Sleep Center, an accredited facility by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, offers several expert tips to help you sleep better this summer.
One of the hallmarks of summer that we all enjoy are the extra hours of daylight. However those extra hours come at a price. Depending on what time you go to sleep, it could still be light out. Any light encourages your body to be wakeful. The easiest solution is to make your bedroom as dark as possible using blackout shades.
Heat and humidity
The ideal temperature range for sleeping is 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat can be very stimulating and very wakeful. By ensuring that your room is cooled with an air conditioner or fan and is properly ventilated you can vastly improve your sleep.
Spring and fall are known for causing significant allergy flare-ups but just because it is summer doesn’t mean you are immune. According to the National Sleep Foundation, allergy symptoms affect sleep dramatically and lack of sleep can actually make your allergies worse. A solution for this would be to try using an air purifier and keeping windows closed.
If you are experiencing continued problems with sleeping, consider making an appointment with one of our board certified sleep medicine physicians. Our team can provide diagnostic sleep studies for patients three years old and up. The Bronson Battle Creek Sleep Center also has a sleep apnea screening to ensure you are getting the best night sleep possible. Either you or your doctor may contact us to arrange the sleep study screening which uses a device called an ApneaLink. You will use the device at home to measure and record your breathing air flow as you sleep. The ApneaLink report will show whether you would benefit from a full sleep study at the Bronson Battle Creek Sleep Center.
If it is discovered that you have sleep apnea, it is often treated with a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. This bedside device gently delivers pressurized air through a mask. We offer a free CPAP support group on the second Wednesday of every month from noon to 1 p.m. at the Burnham Brook Center in Battle Creek, Mich. CPAP therapy can help you enjoy better sleep and a healthier life.
For your convenience, our hours of operation are flexible so you can be tested during your regular sleep time whether that is day or night. For more information or to schedule a consultation, call (269) 441-9082 or click here.