How to Get the Best Night’s Sleep

March is National Sleep Awareness Month, the perfect time to learn about the benefits of sleep, healthy sleep habits and the importance of diagnosing and treating sleep disorders. Dr. Abhay Sharma is a Tampa General Hospital (TGH) sleep specialist and surgeon with the TGH Ear, Nose & Throat Institute. He is also the director of Interventional Sleep Surgery at USF Health and co-director of the USF Health ENT Sleep and Snoring Center. Dr. Sharma answers common sleep questions to help you get the best night’s sleep.

Q: How many hours of sleep is best?

A: Most adults need between 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. If you have trouble waking up or feel drowsy throughout the day, you may not be sleeping enough — or sleeping too much. A consistent sleep schedule, meaning going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, is crucial. Irregular sleep can disrupt your body’s circadian rhythm, which is the natural, internal process that regulates sleep.

Q: What are ideal sleep conditions?

A: The room you sleep in should be dark, quiet and cool, around 65 to 72 degrees. A white noise machine is okay to use to block out disruptive sounds. Avoid television at least an hour before bed. In addition, avoid using your phone or tablet in bed. The bright light from electronics can signal your brain to stay awake instead of sleep. Dinner should precede bedtime by at least three hours to prevent acid reflux-related awakenings. Avoid stimulants like caffeine beginning in the afternoon. Finally, avoid alcohol within three hours of bedtime — even a small amount can disrupt your sleep.

Q: What are sleep disorders and when should you see a sleep specialist?

A: Sleep disorders are conditions that affect your quality of sleep. A short list of common disorders includes obstructive sleep apnea (often signaled by snoring), restless legs syndrome, insomnia, narcolepsy and parasomnias (night terrors). Insomnia and sleep apnea are two of the most common sleep disorders. Both can cause serious health complications including heart disease, stroke and dementia. If you have had trouble sleeping for months or a year, or you are dozing off in the middle of the day, or you are snoring very loudly, then it’s time to see a doctor. Any persistent problems or worsening in your sleep quality needs to be assessed to ensure you are maximizing your health.

Q: What is sleep apnea and how is it diagnosed?

A: Sleep apnea occurs when breathing stops during sleep, often due to relaxed throat tissue obstructing your airway. These pauses can last seconds to over a minute and happen repeatedly, disrupting deep sleep. There are many causes for the disease, including elevated weight, enlarged tonsils and adenoids, blocked nasal breathing, hormonal issues (low thyroid hormone, menopause), upper and lower jaw position problems and decreased throat muscle tone with age and genetics. More men are affected than women. Some of the common signs include loud snoring, pauses in breathing, gasping or choking sounds during sleep, headaches in the morning, daytime sleepiness and fatigue and mood changes. High blood pressure that is difficult to treat is often another sign that sleep apnea could be affecting you.

Q: What is a sleep study?

A: A sleep study measures bodily functions during sleep and can help confirm if you have sleep disorder. The diagnostic test can be done in a health care setting such as the TGH Sleep Disorders Center or it can be done at home with a portable sleep monitor. A TGH sleep specialist can help determine if an at-home study is appropriate for you. TGH provides about 500 at-home sleep studies every month.

Q: What sleep apnea treatments are available?

A: Sometimes simple lifestyle changes such as losing weight can resolve sleep apnea. There are medications and devices available including CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machines worn while you sleep. CPAP machines use a mask and a hose to deliver air pressure into the nose and throat to keep your airway open and enhance breathing. Additionally, dental devices are a common non-invasive treatment for sleep apnea. They work by keeping your lower jaw in a forward position, preventing your tongue from falling back and stabilizing the throat.

Sleep Apnea Treatment at TGH

For more than 10 years, TGH sleep surgeons have performed a minimally invasive procedure to implant a device that treats obstructive sleep apnea. The device, which is about the size of a pacemaker and is turned on and off by the patient using a simple remote control, delivers gentle pulses to the airway muscles to keep the airway open during sleep.

These are all effective options for managing sleep apnea. However, it's essential to talk with a sleep specialist to determine which treatment is best suited for your specific needs.

The TGH Sleep Disorders Center offers assessment and continuing care for adults and children with sleep disorders. The center is one of the first in the U.S. to be accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). For more information, visit www.TGH.org/sleep or call (813) 844-4292.