Does How You Sleep Give You Clues to Your Health?

How you sleep says a lot about your health. In fact, underlying health issues can affect the quality of your sleep and present symptoms that are tied to conditions that affect your quality of life. Here’s how you sleep can give you clues to your well-being.

Snoring

If your partner complains about your snoring, take notice. Snoring can be a tell-tale sign of heart disease or sleep apnea. Heart disease and sleep apnea are both conditions that you shouldn’t take lightly, but can be managed with adequate medical care. It’s best to see your doctor about your snoring, especially if your snoring is severe, which is a common symptom of sleep apnea.

Fast Heart Rate & Palpitations

If you’re trying to get some rest and your heart rate isn’t slowing down as it should, check with your doctor. A fast resting heart rate, or tachycardia, may indicate the need for medication to help manage conditions like inappropriate sinus tacychardia (IST) or high blood pressure. Heart palpitations – often felt as a skipped heart beat or a “flip flop” sensation in the chest” are usually benign and simply annoying, but in rare cases can indicate more serious issues.

Changes in Your Sleep Patterns

When your sleep quality suddenly changes, it may be a sign of a change in your health as well. As long as other external conditions like a new stressful job or pregnancy aren’t coming into play, you should be cautious when any sudden changes in your sleep habits arise. Sudden insomnia, restlessness, or even excessive fatigue be a sign of many health issues like hormonal imbalances, anemia, kidney disease, and much more.

Falling Asleep Randomly or at Improper Times

Feeling tired or exhausted from time to time is normal, especially when work and family demands are ongoing. However, if you can sleep anywhere and anytime, even if you don’t want to sleep, it’s important to consult with your physician. Ongoing fatigue can indicate health issues like anemia and diabetes.

Morning Headaches

If you’re waking up with a bad headache that usually fades within two hours, you may have sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can cause headaches when the brain has been mildly deprived of oxygen throughout the night due to erratic and obstructed breathing patterns.

Waking Up to Urinate

When your sleep is constantly disturbed by the urge to urinate, you may have an underlying health issue. Nocturia, or the urge to urinate at night, can be a sign of aging or tied to a health condition like diabetes, nocturnal polyuria, and sleep apnea. When the urge to urinate at night affects your sleep by making you groggy the next day, you should see your doctor.

Sometimes, You Just Need a Better Mattress

If you’re experiencing poor sleep that’s not related to these health issues, you may just need a more comfortable mattress. The right mattress will support your body and prevent back and neck pain, allowing you wake up feeling refreshed. Browse the high-quality American-made and organic mattresses at Gardner Mattress and experience blissful sleep. Call today at 1-800-564-2736.