Sleep Dunwoody Blog

Have you started thinking yet about your 2020 New Year’s Resolution? Is it centered around your health, or maybe your work or relationships? What about getting better sleep? It may not be the most popular or obvious resolution, but it’s the one that can make the most difference in terms of positively affecting multiple areas of your life.

Below, we talk about all the physical, mental and emotional benefits that sleep has to offer. You might be surprised at how much a little extra shut eye can improve your day-to-day life.

Sticking to a regular sleep schedule can be very difficult during the holidays, thanks to the many potentially sleep-disrupting things which are often oh-so-present during the season — travel, temptations to stay up late catching up with family members, irregular diets, and more. Yet, tempting though it can be to allow any of these distractions to upend your healthy habits during the holiday months, it’s just not worth it. Your wellbeing is too important!

According to a study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, air pollution may increase the risk factor of sleep-disordered breathing. It is important to consider air quality both indoors and outdoors when it comes to treatments that may help those with sleep apnea. Turns out, certain indoor plants may provide a simple way to surround yourself with cleaner air and breathe easier.

(more…)

Receiving enough sleep on a regular basis is essential for proper mental and physical health. But easier said than done, right?! If you tend to struggle with achieving enough rest, you might be all too familiar with the various sleep aids on the market. 

The habits you do (or don’t) implement throughout the day have a big impact on your sleep quality at night. You may never have considered how these collective “sleep hygiene” habits affect your sleep, but now’s the time to start. Good sleep is critically important for your health and overall quality of life.

Everyone has a preferred sleeping position — maybe yours is curled up like a baby, over on your belly, or straight on your back. But have you considered how your snoozing habit could impact the quality of your sleep? It’s especially important to think about how you lie if you have sleep apnea. Consider the pros and cons of each sleeping position.

In case you haven’t heard, weighted blankets are the latest and greatest craze in the sleep world. Filled with glass beads or plastic pellets and typically weighing between four and 25 pounds, these blankets place a sense of pressure on the body, relieving stress and creating a sense of calm. Everyone from those suffering from anxiety disorders to parents of children with ADHD are singing their praises. Could it be the solution to your sleep troubles? We take a look at the facts to see if weighted blankets have measurable benefits. 

Aromatic compounds can play a key role in a person’s mood, energy levels, focus, and sleep. Inhaling essential oils, specifically, can improve sleep quality as the chemicals in the oils interact with the body in various ways. If you frequently struggle with sleep and worry about using artificial sleep aids too often, then certain essential oils may be able to provide a natural way to help you get the rest you need.

We’ve all likely heard before that winding down at the end of a long day with a bath can help your sleep. But how exactly does the science behind that work? What is it about a warm bath that helps our bodies relax and get ready for bed? 

In June 2018, Barnes & Noble reported that book sales related to anxiety had gone up 26% when compared to the previous year. Whether nationwide anxiety is actually increasing or whether we’re just more aware of it, it’s definitely a prevalent issue. Who hasn’t felt anxious from time to time? But for some, anxiety is an always-present condition, and, as it turns out, anxiety and sleep are closely related. Recently, a group of scientists shared their findings on the relationship between the two, which may prove helpful for those curious about how to improve both anxiety and sleep deprivation.