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Your Guide to Healthy Sleep
To treat their insomnia, some people pursue “natural” remedies,
such as melatonin supplements or valerian teas or extracts. These
remedies are available over the counter. Little evidence exists that
melatonin can help relieve insomnia. Studies with valerian also have
been inconclusive, and the actual dose and purity of various
supplements, extracts, or teasthat contain valerian may vary from
product to product. In addition, because melatonin, valerian, and
other natural remedies are not regulated by the Food and Drug
Administration, their safety is not monitored.
Sleep Apnea
In people who have sleep apnea (also referred to as sleep-disordered
breathing), breathing briey stops or becomes very shallow during
sleep. This change is caused by intermittent blocking of the upper
airway, usually when the soft tissue in the rear of the throat
collapses and partially or completely closes the airway. Each pause
in breathing typically lasts 10–120 seconds and may occur 20–30
times or more each sleeping hour.
If you have sleep apnea, not enough air can ow into your lungs
through your mouth and nose during sleep, even though breathing
efforts continue. When this happens, the amount of oxygen in your
blood decreases. Your brain responds by awakening you enough to
tighten the upper airway muscles andopen your windpipe. Normal
breaths then start again, often with a loud snort or choking sound.
Although people who have sleep apnea typically snore loudly and
frequently, noteveryone who snores has sleep apnea. (See “Is
Snoring a Problem?” on page 30.)
Because people who have sleep apnea frequently go from deeper
sleep to lighter sleep during the night, they rarely spend enough time
in deep, restorative stages of sleep. They are therefore often exces-
sively sleepy during the day. Such sleepiness is thought to lead to
mood and behavior problems, including depression, and it more
than triples the risk of being in a trafc or work-related accident.
The many brief drops in blood-oxygen levels that occur during the
night can result in morning headaches and trouble concentrating,
thinking clearly, learning, and remembering. Additionally, the
intermittent oxygen drops and reduced sleep quality together trigger
the release of stress hormones. These hormones raise your blood
pressure and heart rate and boost the risk of heart attack, stroke,
irregular heartbeats, and congestive heart failure. In addition,