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Battling Sleep Apnea While Pregnant

Getting a full night of sleep when you’re pregnant can be difficult –– especially if your baby is active in the evening. One of the problems that can contribute to your lack of sleep is a condition called obstructive sleep apnea. While many people think it only affects men, women can struggle with it as well. It can be detrimental to productive sleep patterns on its own, but when paired with pregnancy, several new health risks can come into play.

Sleep apnea during pregnancy can cause:

  • Preeclampsia. This refers to a potentially deadly condition in pregnant women that causes their blood pressure to spike. The only cure is to deliver your baby. Delivery may be delayed if you are not close to term.
  • Higher likelihood of cesarean section. Also known as a C-section, this method of birth occurs through a surgical procedure. It may be necessary if your labor has slowed or stopped, the baby is distressed or if the infant is too large to be delivered vaginally.
  • Increased daytime fatigue. Usually the result of insomnia or another sleep problem, daytime fatigue can lead to you missing work, making poor decisions, obesity, diabetes, depression and substance abuse.

Sleep apnea in women can be commonly misdiagnosed as chronic fatigue syndrome, insomnia or even depression.

Treating Obstructive Sleep Apnea with My CPAP Club

Being pregnant can slightly elevate your risk of obstructive sleep apnea, so it’s important that you recognize common signs and symptoms. Those include snoring, lapses in breathing while asleep, gasping when sleeping and fatigue that persists throughout the day.

Thankfully, you don’t have to struggle with sleep apnea. The courteous and understanding professionals at My CPAP Club have several remedies available for people who are suffering from various sleep disorders. Best of all, our customized solutions are available to ship anywhere in the United States –– meaning the care that we recommend has virtually no bounds. To learn more about how My CPAP Club can help you in your fight against sleep apnea, contact us online through our customer inquiry form.

Isn’t That Just a Band? Why Do I Need REM Sleep?

REM is much more than just the name of a popular alternative band –– it’s also an important sleep stage that leads to what’s usually the most memorable portion of sleeping: dreams. Also known as rapid eye movement, REM makes up about a quarter of your total sleep cycle and occurs about an hour to an hour and a half after you fall asleep.

REM is not completely understood by scientists, but it may help with everything from moods to how you learn and memory retention. This stage of sleep is when your brain is the most active and dreams occur. This is also the most elusive stage of sleep as you age. Although the exact reason is not known, babies can spend close to double the amount of time as adults in REM sleep.

Dreaming is important, because it can help your body balance out several health issues. Those who are deprived of dreaming for prolonged periods of time may experience:

  • Depression or anxiety
  • Weight gain
  • Lack of coordination
  • Increased difficulty concentrating

Falling Asleep & Making It to REM

If you’re having trouble staying asleep or making it through all four sleep cycles on a regular basis (which can occur multiple times per night), not to worry. At My CPAP Club, we have several resources in place to help you sleep better and ultimately lead a healthier life. Whether you’re in need of machines, masks, supplies or accessories, My CPAP Club has the sleep solutions you’re looking for. We can also ship to anywhere in the United States –– meaning that you won’t be excluded from a good night’s sleep due to your location.

Ready to get back to restful nights? Contact one of our sleep specialists online today to start on your way to nights full of sleep and dreams.

The Four Stages of Sleep: Do I Really Need All of Them?

Sleep is important: it keeps you alert during the day and assists you in performing at your highest levels. But is all sleep created equal? Anyone who has been woken up in the middle of a dream or a nap may tell you they’ve felt disoriented or groggy instead of well-rested and refreshed.

Sleep experts have identified four stages of sleep that humans can go through in any given night. Experiencing this full cycle may help you ultimately feel more rested when you wake. They are best defined as:

  • Closed eyes but still alert. You have shut your eyes to the world, but outside stimuli can still wake you. This may last anywhere from five to 10 minutes.
  • Light sleep. Your heart rate begins to drop, along with your body temperature.
  • Deep sleep. The last part of what is known as non-REM sleep is where you finally reach deep sleep. Your body restores itself during this phase, and can even self-repair bones, muscles and tissues that have been damaged
  • REM sleep. REM (rapid eye movement) sleep is where your dreams occur. It takes about an hour to reach this stage.

You will likely experience several cycles of these stages as you progress through a full night’s sleep. Although it is not known why, infants typically spend more time in REM sleep, while it diminishes greatly with age.

Achieve All Four Sleep Stages Regularly with My CPAP Club

Are you sleeping all night and still waking up drowsy? Do you find it difficult to fall asleep consistently? If so, you may be suffering from an undiagnosed sleep disorder. Don’t fight a good night’s sleep any longer. Invest in your health by finding a sleep problem solution through My CPAP Club. Offering a variety of machines, masks and accessories, we are sure to have something that suits your needs.

Aren’t sure what you’re looking for? Fill out our online contact form and one of our customer service representatives will be able to guide you to a better night’s sleep.

Why a Lack of Sleep May Be a Deadly Pattern

A good night’s sleep provides you with many benefits, including refreshing you for the next day and assisting in your body’s restorative process. Not getting enough sleep, however, such as in the instance of insomnia, anxiety or depression, can have far greater repercussions.

A study conducted in Norway has determined a link between adults 20 years old and older and who have trouble sleeping and an increased risk of suicide. Close to 75,000 adults took part in the study, which concluded that sleeping problems can contribute to an elevated risk of suicide. A whopping 31% of those surveyed reported “sometimes” having trouble maintaining a healthy sleep pattern, while 5% reported “often” having trouble getting a good night’s sleep. During the follow-up, researchers discovered that 188 of study participants had committed suicide.

The risk is not particularly higher in one gender or the other, but the link between suicidal behavior and sleep patterns is stronger in those who are 50 years old or younger. The study also concluded that those who had the worst documented sleeping patterns doubled their risk of suicide.

Transforming Your Sleep Habits with My CPAP Club

If you’re currently struggling to maintain a healthy sleep pattern, or if your sleep disturbances are made worse by struggling to breathe or wrestling with a sleep disorder, My CPAP Club can help. Offering a variety of sleep solutions for customers anywhere in the U.S., we can help you get the good night’s rest you have been wanting.

Browse through our selections of CPAP machines, masks, supplies and accessories. If you’re not sure what could help your sleep issues, feel free to contact us through our online form.

Having Trouble Sleeping While Pregnant? Keep Tabs On Your Eating Habits

Experiencing some difficulty falling asleep (and staying asleep) is not uncommon for women who are pregnant. There are, however, some ways that you can make falling asleep harder on yourself. We’re talking about binge eating.

Some eating disorders in the United States can be linked to sleep patterns, such as feeling the need to eat to go back to sleep. For some, this eating pattern may also occur while they are not aware of it, such as when sleepwalking. For others, it is defined as “night eating syndrome” –– which refers to having to eat or feel full before being able to sleep.

What is the difference between late-night snack cravings and night eating syndrome? Here are a few ways you can assess if you’re suffering from the latter:

  • Lessened appetite for breakfast or morning meals
  • Inability to fall asleep once waking up in the middle of the night
  • Eating the bulk of your daily food intake after normal dinner hours

While binge eating as it relates to sleep can affect both men and women, it’s more common with women. This is particularly important to note for pregnant women, as they can be susceptible to binge eating during and after pregnancy. This can interrupt sleep patterns (especially if you feel the need to eat to go back to sleep) and negatively impact your overall health through the increased intake of calories. Disrupted sleep can also result in less deep sleep, more hours spent awake in the middle of the night, additional discomfort and breathing issues.

Ways to Avoid Binge Eating at Night

Thankfully, there are some techniques you can use to curb nighttime food cravings. The sleep experts at My CPAP Club have compiled a list of ways to avoid or treat night eating syndrome. They include:

  • Stress management instruction (if sleeping patterns are anxiety-related)
  • Prescribed medication
  • Limiting caffeine intake
  • Treatment at a monitored sleep lab (for observation of brain pattern and activity)

If you’re pregnant and experiencing difficulty sleeping or wrestling with binge eating at night, the solutions you need start at My CPAP Club. Call us today at 1-888-272-7050 or contact us online with this or any other sleep disorder questions.