Published on Jan 01, 2024 | 12:03 PM
Sleep is an essential need for the human body to function and plays a pivotal role in your heart's health, your immune system's strength, the effectiveness of your metabolism, and many other areas. It can often be the difference between a productive day and one where nothing gets done and is even celebrated annually in January with the Festival of Sleep and again in March on World Sleep Day. This leads to a commonly debated question: how much sleep do we need and why? (1)
There are several stages of sleep a person processes each night that consist of multiple cycles. These have been identified by monitoring Rapid Eye Movement (REM) and are broken down further into one REM and three non-REM stages. (2)
Sleep Cycle Stages
Below is the recommended amount of sleep by age group according to the CDC.
When it comes to conditions that affect a person’s capacity to sleep, the most common are sleeping disorders, with the most common among them being insomnia. Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or experiencing non-restorative sleep, despite adequate opportunity for rest. It often leads to daytime fatigue, irritability, and impaired concentration. Further detailed in the Call-On-Doc Guide to Insomnia, the most common conditions that can accompany or cause insomnia include:
Other conditions that have been found linked to insomnia relate to a person's psychological wellness and mental health. The most common include:
Sleep plays a crucial role in supporting overall brain function and well-being. Here are several ways in which sleep affects the brain:
Adequate sleep is essential for maintaining overall physical health, and its impact extends across various bodily functions:
Sleep is instrumental in promoting mental health by facilitating memory consolidation, emotional regulation, and cognitive functioning. Adequate and quality sleep helps the brain process and organize information acquired during the day, enhancing learning and problem-solving skills. It plays a crucial role in mood regulation, contributing to emotional resilience and reducing the risk of mood disorders such as anxiety and depression. Additionally, the restorative functions of sleep support overall cognitive well-being, helping individuals maintain focus, attention, and a positive mental state.
If you’re suffering from insomnia, a chronic condition, or a psychological condition, Call-On-Doc can help you manage your overall wellness and get a good night's sleep again. Get the care you need today online with a same-day evaluation and prescription. Simply select the condition, answer a few medical questions to go over your medical history, and our providers take it from there. Your treatment plan will then be available in 2 hours or less!
English graduate and Call-On-Doc’s medical resource guide, Wayne C. Hahne is an experienced and passionate medical education content expert. Through diligent research, provider interviews and utilizing the industry's leading resources for wellness information, it is Mr. Hahne’s personal mission to educate the general public on medical conditions with in-depth and easy-to-understand written guides.
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Sleep is exceedingly important, it helps us heal from wounds, supports mental stability, and promotes positive health benefits across the board. However, a lack of it can lead to a reduced daily performance and a weaker immune system In many cases, prolonged lack of sleep is caused by what is called insomnia.
Trouble sleeping is hardly a new phenomenon, but it isn’t something to take lightly. According to the Sleep Foundation, around 15% of Americans in the United States report being affected by a form of insomnia or other sleep disorder by a form of insomnia or other sleep disorder, about 50-70 million people.
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"Springing forward" and "falling back" might seem like a minor inconvenience, but the switch to daylight savings time can have big consequences for our health. Studies link daylight savings time to a rise in insomnia and hypertension, revealing just how disruptive this biannual time change can be. So as we prepare to turn our clocks ahead yet again, it's worth taking a closer look at the potential toll it could be taking on our bodies and minds.
Oct 03, 2023 | 11:27 AM
How to Deal with Insomnia
Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterized by the difficulty or inability to fall asleep or stay asleep. The condition, which affects approximately 40 million people each year, can be acute or chronic. Insomnia can have negative effects on your ability to perform at work or school, causing you to feel fatigued and unable to concentrate throughout the day.
March is National Sleep Awareness Month, so we’re providing advice on habits, supplements, and other solutions that can help you achieve better quality sleep.
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Sleep is exceedingly important, it helps us heal from wounds, supports mental stability, and promotes positive health benefits across the board. However, a lack of it can lead to a reduced daily performance and a weaker immune system In many cases, prolonged lack of sleep is caused by what is called insomnia.
Trouble sleeping is hardly a new phenomenon, but it isn’t something to take lightly. According to the Sleep Foundation, around 15% of Americans in the United States report being affected by a form of insomnia or other sleep disorder by a form of insomnia or other sleep disorder, about 50-70 million people.
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