(ORDO NEWS) — Falling asleep, we do not even think about what dangers await us after the transition to an unconscious state. Sleep is necessary for our body to exist, but it can also become deadly.
You also need to know how to sleep. If you do not follow the rules of sleep hygiene, you can face many problems that can be deadly.
March 19 is World Sleep Day , which was organized back in 2008. Of course, it’s tempting to celebrate this (or any other) day with a long afternoon nap, or just go to bed early to get more sleep. However, World Sleep Day was not created for this – its purpose is to promote a culture of healthy and proper sleep.
But how to sleep right? According to the Sleep Foundation, whose content is licensed by the National Sleep Foundation, one of the most important things in this business is properly furnishing the bedroom.
To do this, you need a mattress of a firmness that is suitable specifically for you, as well as pleasant bedding that will not give you discomfort. It is also important to maintain a comfortable temperature in the bedroom – you should not be too hot or too cold.
An important factor is lighting and sounds. Try to make sure that during sleep, the sounds and light from the street cannot disturb your peace.
For this, blackout curtains are best suited, which will plunge the room into darkness, and rubber seals on the windows, which will reduce the amount of noise from the street.
The Sleep Foundation also warns against drinking alcohol before bedtime – although alcohol-containing drinks can help you fall asleep quickly, they negatively affect the quality of a night’s rest.
There are many rules for healthy sleep, but there are even more dangers that can await people after going into this unconscious state. Some of the conditions we list can be deadly.
Others are symptoms that point to possible problems. So, if you notice something in yourself that is described in this article, the best option would be to see a doctor as soon as possible.
Deadly snore
Many people snore in their sleep. At first they start to snore, but over time the snoring sounds get louder and louder. At some point during snoring, a person begins to make sounds similar to snorting.
In popular culture, this is considered ridiculous, but in fact, such a condition can lead to death, because such a snort is an attempt by the body to inhale more air so as not to suffocate in a dream.
A condition where a person does not get enough oxygen during sleep is called sleep apnea . It comes in three different types, but the most common is obstructive sleep apnea.
It occurs when the muscles at the back of the throat relax, causing the airways to be too narrow to allow enough air to pass through when inhaling. Your brain feels unable to breathe and wakes you up briefly so you can reopen your airways. This awakening is usually so brief that the person does not remember it.
Risk factors for sleep apnea include being overweight, smoking, being male, and drinking before bed. It can lead to the development of type 2 diabetes, constant daytime fatigue and cardiovascular diseases, including stroke.
My tongue is my enemy
One of the causes of snoring, which also leads to sleep apnea, is tongue retraction. And for the occurrence of this condition, it is not at all necessary to be overweight, since this does not affect the likelihood of relaxation of the muscles of the tongue.
Sometimes this is due to the fact that the tongue of a person in a relaxed state does not fit into his mouth, and in a dream he has nothing left but to fall back into the larynx.
Due to the retraction of the tongue in people, the airways are partially blocked and they begin to snore. Moreover, because of this, a person can suffocate if he does not have time to pull out his tongue that has sunk in a dream.
Quite often, this condition is observed in victims of car accidents who have lost consciousness. The most important thing in this case is to have time to turn the person’s head on its side and try to pull out the tongue. The likelihood of its sinking increases sleep lying on your back. Therefore, to reduce the likelihood of such a condition, it is best to sleep on your side.
Sleep in moderation
We know that lack of sleep can be bad for the body. But its excess can also harm our health. According to studies , prolonged sleep can increase the likelihood of depression, obesity and chronic diseases . Lack of sleep can lead to diseases of the digestive system, since it is after the transition to this state that our body directs its resources to solving the problems of internal organs.
Research has also shown that men and women who don’t get enough quality sleep have lower libido and less interest in sex. In addition, healthy sleep solves many problems and is excellent for helping you recover from illness.
If you think you’re not getting enough sleep at the moment and want to catch up, don’t do it abruptly or try to sleep in longer on weekends. Instead, try to gradually increase the amount of sleep each day by going to bed a little earlier. After all, the earlier you fall into sleep, the better and healthier it will be.
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