by Chad Rhoden MD PhD

Created on: January 09, 2008   Last Updated: June 29, 2009

One of my son's favorite books (and therefore one of my favorite) is Disney's Pooh's Early to Bed and Early to Rise Hum. The line in this book "Bees buzz in the morn to tell a bear to rise, and if a bear stays in bed he never will be wise" indicates even to toddlers the importance of being well-rested. Getting a good night's rest means waking up in the morning naturally and being happy about it. If you are not happy about it (i.e. otherwise known as not a morning person) that probably simply means that you are not getting enough good sleep.

There are many reasons for poor sleeping patterns. Of course, the most obvious being staying up too late. Most people need at least 7 hours of sleep and no more than 9 hours per night. Did you know that by not getting the proper amount of sleep at night, you are very likely increasing your stress level-you see how many aspects of health are often interrelated? Lack of sleep will show at work and in your daily lives manifest by lower levels of performance and poorer memory ability. Believe it or not, lack of sleep is also related to some of the chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, obesity, and unintentional injury. Aim to have a somewhat consistent schedule for bedtime and make it a priority to get plenty of sleep each night. If you work hard, take a 15-20 minute nap during lunch or other break in the day if you feel you need it. Don't be afraid of what people thinkthey just don't understand that it's best for your health! It will "get the cobwebs" out.

Do you have a snoring problem? People snore when the airways in the nose and throat get too small, channeling the air as they inhale and exhale through a narrower route. The noise is mainly from the vibration of loose tissue and many people snore because they have too much of this tissue-for many, the tongue gets in the way of easy breathing. Obesity is a certainly one of the primary (but not only) causes of this problems-i.e. airways are narrowed by extra fat tissue in the neck and throat pressing in on the airways. Did you know that snoring with your mouth open (as opposed to closed) may be an indicator of this cause? Snoring by itself doesn't pose any health risks, but try telling that to your spouse-most of us don't desire to be exiled from our own room at night.

So are there any dangers of snoring (besides getting clobbered by your spouse)? Well, yes in some situations there may well be when snoring overlaps with sleep apnea. This

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