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Did you know that nightmares can become real when we sleep? On the one hand, sleep is an integral part of our lives, and we strive to spend it in maximum comfort. On the other hand, few people think about the proper arrangement of the bedroom for a good rest. Meanwhile, tiny details that are invisible to us, present in the bedroom, lead to sleep disturbances and poor health. Today we will try to figure out what kind of waking nightmares we are talking about.
Big problems from a small creature
Serious discomfort to a person can be delivered by the smallest organisms, not exceeding 0,3 millimeters, – dust mites. A favorable environment for their habitat is pillows made of natural filler (down, feather), mattresses, bedspreads, upholstered furniture, toys, and so on. We do not pay due attention to the appearance of these insects, since they cannot be seen with a simple glance, but they inevitably surround us.
However, it is not the mites themselves that cause harm, but the products of their vital activity – they easily enter the respiratory tract and cause an allergic reaction. It can manifest itself in the form of itching and peeling on the skin, runny nose, cough. Allergy to insect waste also carries the risk of developing asthma, which most often manifests itself at an early age, since children’s airways are less resistant to allergens.
In addition, ticks lay their eggs in the feathers of birds. A pillow filled with feathers and down will turn into a source of pests – it’s a matter of time.
In addition to these insects, you should also beware fungi – after all, a sleeping place, where high humidity and a temperature of about 30 ° C are maintained daily during sleep, becomes an ideal environment for the spread of fungal cultures. One of the main sources of their appearance is directly pillows with natural filler and other bedding.
The peak effect of allergens on the human body occurs precisely during sleep – that is, for 6-8 hours daily.
The final elimination of dust mites and other microorganisms is almost impossible. However, following simple rules, you can reduce many of the unpleasant consequences of their activities.
It is important to maintain hygiene in the bedroom and equip beds with high-quality pillows and mattresses made of modern materials that do not imply the reproduction of microorganisms. This will help reduce the risk of allergic reactions, protect children from diseases and provide yourself and your family with a good healthy sleep.
Healthy sleep in a healthy body
Mites, germs, and fungi aren’t the only problems that can show up while you sleep. Incorrect body position – in particular, the head – can also cause various sleep disorders and harm health, especially if you take it constantly.
Among the most common sleep disorders, doctors note sleep apnea, or obstructive sleep syndrome. apnea sleep (OSAS), which manifests itself in the form of a partial or complete cessation of breathing, followed by loud snoring. Usually they last from 10 to 30 seconds, but in severe cases they can last 2-3 minutes and take up to 60% of the total night’s sleep. After waking up, a person suffering from sleep apnea notes daytime sleepiness, deterioration of memory and intelligence, decreased performance and constant fatigue.
Snoring is the most common symptom of OSAS. Most snore common among middle-aged men who are overweight and addicted to alcohol or smoking, but also occurs in women. The problem is exacerbated by congenital deformities of the upper respiratory tract or facial skull, including deviated nasal septum. Sometimes children also begin to snore – this happens with an increase in adenoids and tonsils.
Alexander Kalinkin, sleep medicine doctor, head of the Center for Sleep Medicine, University Clinic of Lomonosov Moscow State University
“Apnea is considered one of the most dangerous sleep disorders. Snoring at this point becomes intermittent, as the airways are completely blocked due to the collapse of the walls of the hypopharynx. After a few seconds or even minutes, snoring resumes, and this happens repeatedly.
Snoring and sleep apnea disrupt the structure of sleep, making it fragmented. At these moments, a person may experience jumps in blood pressure and a rapid heartbeat from a few seconds to several minutes.
People with severe sleep apnea who do not receive special therapy are three times more likely to have car accidents and fall asleep at the wheel. In mild cases, breathing can be normalized by weight loss, side sleeping, or orthodontic appliances. Moderate and severe forms of sleep apnea are treated only with the help of special devices, the so-called “sipap” devices.
Breathing stops are directly related to the position of the head and cervical spine during sleep. The reason for the non-anatomical position of the body is not only the habit of falling asleep in a certain position, but also corny bedding.
For example, a pillow that is too high can cause partial airway occlusion. As a consequence, it can cause snoring and, more seriously, muscle cramps and venous congestion, as well as diseases of the cervical spine up to the risk of stroke.
Too low a pillow contributes to increased blood flow to the upper respiratory tract, which is fraught with respiratory arrest. An important role here is played by the choice of a suitable pillow – not too high, but not too low. The pillow, optimal in height, will fix the cervical spine in an anatomically correct bend.
Some fillings – in particular, natural ones – tend to shrink and quickly become unusable due to strong compression, while pillows made from modern materials are less prone to this.
Inconvenience in sleep leads to impaired blood circulation, muscle tension and frequent headaches. In such conditions, a person does not get enough sleep, his mood deteriorates, the body does not fully recover and there is a feeling of constant fatigue.
To reduce these negative manifestations will help:
- The “correct” pillow, selected taking into account the weight and height of the person and suitable for him in height to fix the natural position of the head;
- appropriate firmness of the mattress depending on the weight of the person;
- morning exercises and regular sports to relieve stress from the shoulder girdle and neck.
If these methods do not help, then you need to contact a somnologist to solve the problem of snoring and sleep apnea.
Another nuisance that torments people at night – restless leg syndrome (RLS). It leads to sleep disorders due to perceptible discomfort in the legs that occurs at rest. With RLS, people usually complain of a constant need to move, burning legs, muscle twitching, and more.
The syndrome is more common among women – they have the disease occurs twice as often as men. It is more active after the age of 20 and increases with age. Painful sensations do not allow you to sleep at night, lead to anxiety and depressive disorders and negatively affect the quality of life. In some cases, symptoms also appear during the daytime.
In the early stages, foot baths, contrast showers, massages, a comfortable bedroom environment, and proper sleep can help. A positive effect will also have regular exercise and the refusal of caffeinated and alcoholic beverages, smoking. In more severe cases, you will need to consult a doctor and prescribe special treatment.