There are times when people contact their Gilbert family doctor complaining of symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, muscle cramps and disorientation. Each person insists that they eat right, exercise and drink plenty of fluids. Their inability to feel healthy is frustrating, but it can also be easy to pinpoint. Even the most health-conscious individuals can forget about the healing powers of Sleep, and how neglecting to get enough sleep can lead to a variety of medical issues.

A healthy lifestyle means a well-rounded approach to exercise, diet and recovery. If you do not give your body proper time to recover, then you are not purging toxins from your body that can build up over time. Recovery time is also used by your body to rebuild muscle tissue, flush out dead cells and make sure that all of your organs have the proper levels of nutrients and oxygen. A power nap once in a while is good for giving you quick bursts of energy, but real recovery only comes from the proper amount of sleep.

The world is a busy place and there are people who contend that they don’t have enough hours in the day to do the things they need and want to do. More often than not, these busy people sacrifice vital hours of sleep each night to catch up on work or get to the gym to exercise. Sleep works together with diet and exercise to help you fight off disease and repair your body. Without the right amount of sleep, you will start to suffer from severe medical conditions such as heart disease and hypertension.

Most medical providers state that a good amount of sleep each night for older children, teenagers and adults is between seven and eight hours a night. But if this is not seven or eight hours of continuous deep sleep, then you will not receive the rejuvenating effects that sleep has to offer. If you don’t feel that you are getting enough from your sleeping habits, then you can start to get the answers you need from a qualified family physician in Gilbert.

Adults who claim to sleep seven to eight hours a night but still feel fatigued could be suffering from a condition known as sleep apnea. While you may feel like you are sleeping, your air pathways are blocked by collapsed muscles in your throat. This prevents air from getting into your lungs, and also prevents you from getting the deep sleep you need for healthy rejuvenation. With sleep apnea, you actually stop breathing hundreds of times a night, which stops the flow of oxygen to your brain and other organs.

Your Gilbert doctor can order a sleep study for you to see if your breathing stops during the night and you are experiencing sleep apnea. If it is determined that you do need help with your sleeping condition, then there is equipment available that can make sure your body gets the oxygen it needs at night, and you get the deep sleep you need.

Young children present a special problem when it comes to sleeping habits because, for the most part, kids fight sleep for as long as they can. Children need more sleep each night than teens or adults, and children who do not get that sleep could start to see developmental problems that affect their learning, growth and other important areas.

A Gilbert physician who offers well child exams can take a look at your child and make recommendations for improving their sleeping habits. Because children tend to be unpredictable when it comes to sleep, it does take an experienced professional to diagnose and treat sleeping ailments in children. Parents who take the time to help their children get good sleeping habits early in life will also be helping their children to stay healthy as they get older.

How can you tell if someone you know is having problems sleeping at night? There is a range of symptoms you can look for that may indicate sleeping issues. For example, restlessness during the day, irritability, swings in emotions, disorientation, the inability to pay attention for any extended period of time and dozing off during the day could be signs of Sleep Issues. Some people might dismiss their sleep issues as just an inability to deal with stress, but the reality is that it is all part of the same problem.

What should you do if you feel like you have sleep issues? When sleep issues are not treated and allowed to go on for extended periods of time, they can create serious medical issues that will need attention later in life. If you feel fatigued during the day or do not feel like you are getting deep sleep at night, then it is very important that you talk to your doctor immediately.

How should you approach someone who has the symptoms of sleep issues? The best way to let someone know that they may have sleep issues is to tell them that you are concerned, and then list out the symptoms you have observed. You can suggest a quick visit to the doctor just to make sure everything is okay, and let them know that lack of sleep is a dangerous problem to have.

Diet, exercise and rest work together to give you the best possible level of health. If you are not getting enough of all three, then your body is going to suffer. If you do not get at least seven to eight hours of sleep each night, then your body does not have the chance to flush out toxins and rebuild damaged tissue. It is important that you pay attention to your own sleep habits, and consult your doctor if you feel as though you are not getting enough deep sleep each night.