What Does Sleep & Sex Have in Common?
- Posted on: Oct 26 2011
Less Sleep means Less Sex!
Getting a good night’s sleep is a thing of the past for most adults which leads to poorer health, lower productivity on the job, more danger on the roads and — a less vibrant sex life, an eye-opening new survey shows.
75% of the respondents to the National Sleep Foundation poll report symptoms of sleep problems, such as difficulty falling asleep, waking during the night, experiencing fatigue during waking hours, or snoring.
Roughly 25% of respondents who have partners report that their sexual relationship has been damaged because they have been too sleepy. They had less sex, less often or lost interest in having sex because they were too tired.
People don’t understand the importance of sleep and “survive” on a daily basis, walking around in a “fog” like zombies, which effects how they are perceived in their work and social environments and how they feel & function.
Most people ignore such problems, and few think they actually have one, the survey shows.
People who are sleep deprived don’t recognize how much they need sleep and how poorly they are performing; they think they get away with it! When we’re sleep deprived, we are not the same. We function much better if we had a full night’s sleep.
The human body has the capacity to function even though we’re sleep deprived, but it’s like gaining an extra 50 pounds. You can still climb the stairs and jog, just not as easily as before and it puts “wear & tear” on the system.
50% of those polled were able to say they slept well on most nights. 25% of adults say sleep problems have some impact on their daily lives.
Richard Gelula, the sleep foundation’s CEO, says there’s a link between sleep and quality of life.
“People who sleep well, in general, are happier and healthier,” he says. “But when sleep is poor or inadequate, people feel tired or fatigued, their social and intimate relationships suffer, work productivity is negatively affected, and they make our roads more dangerous by driving while sleepy and less alert.”
Symptoms of a sleep problem include insomnia, going to the bathroom many times during the night, waking up feeling unrefreshed, snoring, restless legs, or pauses in breathing.
But most importantly, it’s the quality not the quantity that matters most, the report says.
A lot of the nation’s sleep habits can be attributed to an always-on-the-go, always “connected” cell phone society. Our society allows us to work, shop, tweet, post, watch TV and surf the internet 24 hours a day. Many see sleep as a waste of free time until the alarm goes off. Then it’s….”wish I would have gone to bed sooner”.
What can be done?
Educating people about the self-deception that they are getting away with less sleep. It takes a toll on you and everybody around you….so get your butt in bed!
Among the study’s findings:
More than 26% are at risk for sleep apnea, a serious sleep disorder associated with hypertension and stroke.Sleep apnea is most often the result of untreated snoring. Snoring is your first sign that your nighttime airway is being compromised and your not getting the oxygen your body needs to rest. Snoring happens when you sleep because muscles relax during sleep and when they relax too much they can block the air flow completely. Then you hear pauses in the snoring and snorts. When somebody does that, suspect sleep apnea.Night after night, that takes a toll on quality of sleep. But also, because you’re not moving air properly, it takes a toll on the heart and lungs – blood pressure, increased incidence of heart attacks and strokes.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends only two (2) therapies for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy or oral appliance therapy. CPAP is recommended for severe cases while oral appliance therapy is recommended for mild to moderate cases and for patients that can not tolerate CPAP. Surgery is not recommended, but is an option.
Tagged with: CPAP, CPAP Alternative, sleep apnea, sleep apnea alternative, sleep apnea machine, Sleep Apnea Symptoms, sleep apnea treatment, Snoring
Posted in: CPAP, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Oral Appliance Therapy, Recommended Therapies, Sleep Apnea Symptoms, Sleep Disorders, Snoring
