Improve Your Sleep. Improve Your Life.
What is sleep?
It may be hard to believe but science is just now starting to learn what causes sleep and more importantly why we need it. All animals sleep. It is a basic part of our ability to function as humans. Sleep affects our daily functioning and our physical and mental health in many ways that we are just beginning to understand.
When we sleep, special nerve-signaling chemicals called neurotransmitters control whether we are asleep or awake by acting on different groups of nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain.
Why don't I sleep well?
There are many reasons people do not sleep well.
High levels of stress, inadequate sleep hygiene, and underlying physical and mental health conditions can all play a role in poor sleep.
Why is sleep important?
In healthy adults, sleeping less than 7 hours per night is associated with:
Weight gain and obesity
Increased risk of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease & stroke
Increased rates of depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions
Impaired immune function
Increased sensitivity to pain
Impaired performance, concentration, and focus leading to increased errors
Increased risk of danger and accidents in high-risk activities such as driving
What can I do to get better sleep?
The first step is to have a complete sleep assessment to learn why you are not sleeping well.
This includes a combination of physical and mental health assessment techniques and collaboration with primary care providers and pulmonary or dental sleep medicine specialists to rule out any medical causes to your sleep problems.
After your assessment, we will work with you on a variety of techniques specific to your needs to help you achieve improved and restful sleep.