Sleep Health MD Helps People Return to Restful, Healthful Slumber
Sleep is not a luxury. Chronic sleeplessness should not be ignored.
These are the first two points that Sleiman Masri, marketing manager at Sleep Health MD, makes, and two of the key messages the medical team work with patients to understand and resolve.
Since opening the South Sunnyvale Avenue location regional sleep clinic in 2016, the doctors and staff at the facility have been taking this message to patients, businesses and civic organizations.
The medical team at the facility, led by Sleep Medicine Specialist and Adjunct Clinical Faculty, Stanford University School of Medicine, Shehlanoor Huseni MD, who grew up in Sunnyvale and graduated from Sunnyvale High School, have in-house treatments for insomnia, sleep apnea and other issues that cause chronic sleeplessness.
As part of the clinic’s effort to educate the community, Dr. Huseni shared her insights for our Sunnyvale community:
Q - Are people in Silicon Valley likely to be more sleep deprived than people of similar ages in other parts of the country?
Dr. Huseni: I believe that people in Silicon Valley have incredible work ethic. But I often remind them that it is important to have to have work/life balance as this balance helps to regulate our sleep wake cycle. Anxiety about work projects etc. can certainly lead to a racing mind and if this occurs on a regular basis it can lead to sleep deprivation and insomnia.
Q - We keep hearing that being on "screens" interferes with sleep. Are there two or three simple ways that people can do their jobs, and be on their phones to get their business done, and still have good sleep?
Dr. Huseni: When I talk to my patients about regulating their sleep wake cycle I often start with discussing the mnemonic “SELF”
- S- Social interactions work out mind during the day and gets our MIND tired enough to be able to go to sleep at night.
- E- Exercise during the day tires our BODY enough to be able to relax and go to sleep at night
- L- Light is the strongest “zeitgeber”. Zeitgeber is a German word for “time giver”. Zeitgebers are environmental cues that synchronize our internal biological clocks. I recommend, as hard as it may be, it is important to dim the lights 2-3 hours prior to bedtime (avoid blue light, and utilize smart phones and laptops features to dim the blue light) and expose yourself to the brightest light (preferably sunlight) for 20-30 mins when you wake up in the morning.
- F- Food too close to bedtime should be avoided.
Q - When is it time to seek professional help for sleep issues?
If a bed partner informs you that you “stop breathing” or that you have “pauses” in your breathing at night because of loud snoring it is important to see a sleep medicine physician. This is a very common finding in patients with obstructive sleep Apnea.
If on most nights of the week it takes you >30 mins to fall asleep or you wake up in the middle of the night frequently and have trouble going back to sleep this may be insomnia. Especially if the lack of sleep is affecting your daytime/executive function (memory, concentration, decision making, mood)
Q - How can we help our children develop healthy sleep habits?
Dr. Huseni: Healthy sleep in children requires adequate duration, appropriate timing, regularity, and absence of sleep disorders. To maintain good “sleep hygiene” in children I recommend:
- Consistent bedtime and wake time. Even on weekends
- Consistent bedtime routine (i.e brush teeth, story time, lights off)
- No television in the bedroom
- Watch caffeine consumption (chocolate/sodas)
Maybe 2018 is just the right time to have more energy by sleeping better!
Personal consultation is the best way to diagnose your sleep challenges with the Sleep Health MD team and thankfully it is covered by most insurance plans. Follow Sleep Health MD on Facebook and visit their website to learn more.