If you suffer from sleep apnea, you may experience daytime lethargy. This is because of the frequent bouts of apnea experienced that decreases the overall time spent in deep sleep. As a result of this lack of sleep, you may find that you want to take more daytime naps. While taking a nap might seem harmless, it can actually be causing more harm than good.
Why naps aren’t always good
A quick power nap often seems like a good idea to get you through the day, but think again. Taking a daytime nap can actually interfere with your body’s natural clock, especially if you have sleep apnea. Why is that the case? Well, it is because sleep is cumulative and it cannot be made up with a nap here and a nap there.
That means that if you attempt to sleep at times that are contrary to your body’s natural sleep cycle, it actually sends mixed messages. In turn, this can further exacerbate your exhaustion and contribute to additional sleep interruptions at nighttime. When it comes to sleeping at night, though, the optimal window of time to sleep is between the hours of 11 pm and 8 am, so make sure to get your rest in during this period.
Seek treatment for sleep apnea
If you do suffer from sleep apnea, it is important that you seek treatment from us at AZ Sleep & TMJ Solutions. We can work with you to find the best treatment option for your sleep apnea. And if you need a little extra guidance on how to get a better night’s rest, we can help you with that too.
Contact us at AZ Sleep & TMJ Solutions to learn more about sleep apnea and what treatment you might benefit from.