Questions about sleeping habits are answered by Dr. Yen Hai Thi Nguyen – Specialist Level 2 Doctor from the Outpatient Department at TCI Healthcare System.
Dr. Yen Hai Thi Nguyen – Specialist Level 2 Doctor from TCI’s Outpatient Department
Q: Is snoring a warning sign of something concerning?
A: Snoring can be associated with many serious conditions, such as:
- Allergic rhinitis
- Cardiovascular disease
- High blood pressure
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
- Obesity
- Sinus Problems
- Nasal Polyps
- Deviated Septum
- Hypothyroidism
- Depression
Snoring is usually a harmless and normal condition. However, if you experience loud, chronic snoring that interferes with your daily sleep, you should seek medical help to find out the real cause of it and avoid potential medical issues.
Q: How long should a nap be?
A: A nap can bring many restorative benefits to the mind and body, such as relaxation, enhanced mood, better performance, and reduced stress.
Experts found that the best nap length is 10 to 20 minutes. A longer nap might cause you to feel tired and groggy when waking up. However, if you do not sleep enough the night before, a 90-minute sleep cycle is considered a good long nap that boosts your concentration, energy, and mood.
Q: Does irregular sleep-wake syndrome require immediate medical care?
A: Sleeping without any real schedule can happen to anyone at any time. This condition is normal and usually not a medical emergency. However, if the syndrome lasts long, it will weaken the body clock and lead to many neurological conditions. Here are some home remedies that might help:
- Maintain good sleep hygiene.
- Maintain a comfortable sleep environment.
- Manage the exposure to light. Limit the use of blue light from TV and phones before bedtime.
- Take medications (sleeping pills or alerting agents) or melatonin supplements.
The ultimate goal is to reset the sleep clock in the brain to have long sleep at night and maintain wakefulness during the day.
Q: Is it bad to sleep with your phone nearby?
A: Yes. Having a phone nearby during your sleep might affect your sleep quality. The blue light emitted from your phone inhibits the production of melatonin – a sleep hormone produced by the brain that responds to darkness and disrupts your natural sleep-wake cycle. To limit the exposure to blue light and radiation from the phone, you should keep it away from your bed or turn on airplane mode.
