What’s Better: Sleep Quality or Sleep Quantity
Posted: July 11, 2019
Did you know that nearly one-third of Americans do not regularly get quality sleep? A home sleep test may be used to assess sleep quality for people who think they are sleeping enough but still feel tired. It may seem strange to think that people do not know whether they are getting quality sleep or not. However, sleep apnea is one of several conditions that can cause people to still feel fatigued after what should have been a good night’s sleep without knowing why.
What Is Quality Sleep?
Seven to nine hours of sleep nightly is recommended for adults although many do not get this much. The National Sleep Foundation has also compiled criteria for quality sleep after surveying a number of health care professionals across several organizations. It has identified quality sleep as spending at least 85 percent of the total time in bed asleep, falling asleep in under half an hour, and not being awake for more than 20 minutes per night or waking more than once. Home sleep studies may identify whether these or other disturbances are affecting the quality of a person’s sleep.
Improving Your Sleep Quantity Odds
One way to improve the likelihood of getting a good night’s sleep is by going to bed 30 minutes earlier and getting up 30 minutes later. However, more time in bed does not always translate to more time asleep. A warm bath or another ritual at bedtime and avoiding screens and caffeine might help a person sleep better, but it may take a home sleep test to determine the cause of poor sleep quality.
How a Home Sleep Test Can Help
As important as it is to get enough sleep at night, sleep quality is at least as important. A person may be getting eight or nine hours of sleep nightly, but sleep apnea disturbs a person’s sleep throughout the night because of airway and breathing problems. This can lead to serious health problems just as not sleeping enough can. In addition to causing fatigue, sleep apnea can raise the risk of such conditions as high blood pressure and heart disease.
A person who is diagnosed with sleep apnea may be able to treat it with lifestyle changes, but some people need a CPAP mask to keep their airways clear while they are sleeping. A men’s health clinic may be able to diagnose sleep apnea and recommend treatment.
To schedule a home sleep test and find out more about sleep apnea treatment, book an appointment online with your local Low T Center today.
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Disclaimer: This article is made available for general, entertainment and educational purposes only. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of Low T Center. You should always seek the advice of a licensed healthcare professional.