By Mehmet C. Oz, M.D., F.A.C.S.

With some major exceptions, sleep is a lot like sex.  It’s something you really look forward to, and it makes you feel great when you’re done.  Most importantly, though, sleep is like your boss—it’s much more agreeable when it goes uninterrupted.  Getting a good night’s sleep is one of the most crucial things you can do for a body—especially for caregivers. 

Sleep Apnea is Fairly Common

If you have sleep apnea, it means you’re not getting enough of REM (rapid eye movement) or deep sleep.  Sleep apnea is defined as any period during your sleep in which you stop breathing for more than ten seconds at a time.  It isn’t snoring.  It is actually a stoppage in snoring that takes your breath away. As you age, the tissue in your throat softens, and the area around your tonsils gets fat.  That swollen tissue and fat constrict your airway.  When you’re asleep and your muscles fully relax, the tissue collapses, so there’s no room in the back of your throat.  The fatty tissue essentially acts as a lid over a manhole, and no air can get in and out of your throat.

Sleep Apnea is Serious

When you stop breathing, your body actually wakes itself up—without you knowing it.  The effect is that you can never get into a deep sleep, so your body never gets its rejuvenating effects.  To get into REM sleep, you need about ninety minutes of consistent, uninterrupted sleep.  So, if you’re waking up ten times an hour, which is typical for people suffering from sleep apnea, you’re never getting REM sleep and chances are you won’t wake up refreshed.  Sleep apnea, if not treated, leads to more serious issues like hypertension, high blood pressure, and memory loss.  Over time it can even increase risk of stroke and in severe cases can cause death.  So, if you feel you are not getting REM sleep, check with your doctor.  There are a number of treatments—a mask worn at night, surgical treatments, and weight loss. Losing just ten pounds can decrease episodes of sleep apnea by 30%. 

Insomnia

If you have insomnia, sleeping pills might be required for a short time, but try these other solutions first because they don’t have the long term addictive qualities of a pill.

1. Make a schedule. Your body clock runs best the way it did when you were a younger.  Your body benefits from getting up at the same time every day.  On weekends, try to rise within one hour of your weekday schedule.
2. Change your temperature.  The ideal setting is a cool, dark room.  If you’re having trouble sleeping, try removing a blanket or layer of clothing or lowering the thermostat.
3. Eat small portions before bed.  Eat foods that contain melatonin—a substance that helps regulate your body clock.  Oats, sweet corn and rice all have melatonin.  Or try a complex carbohydrate that has serotonin, like vegetables or whole-grain pasta.  The classic remedy might work: skim milk.  And be sure to avoid stimulants like caffeine and exercise near bedtime.
4. Use your bedroom only for sleep and sex.  Take work papers, computers, and televisions out.