Your lack of sleep could be aging you faster, from wrinkles to a look of fatigue. A lack of sleep can have serious impacts on your health, but there may be a secret to a good night's rest.
If you've ever taken a good night's sleep for granted, let Shawn Hetz's story explain why you shouldn't.
"I was about 21 years old, and I was just having a really hard time sleeping," said Hetz. "It was about 1 to 2 hours a night. I was waking up 96 times every hour."
He had such a hard time sleeping at night that he fell asleep sitting, walking, and driving to class.
"I don't know how I didn't fail my classes, but I literally have no recollection of what was taught in classes, except for I was falling asleep," he said.
So, he went to the doctor, was tested, and diagnosed with sleep apnea. Gulf Coast News sat down with Dr. Jose Colon, a Lee Health sleep specialist.
"Sleep apnea is when you have an obstruction in your upper airway and the air isn't moving through," Colon said.
Hetz's doctors gave him a CPAP, or continuous positive airway pressure machine. Dr. Colon said CPAP is pressure that opens up the air.
"For the first two months, I would have dreams like shards of glass coming across my face because the machine sits like this on your mouth, and your body's not used to that," Hetz said.
However, over time, Hetz got used to the machine. He said he was sleeping between 7 and 9 hours a night.
Hetz said his issues stemmed from weight, along with family history.
"Mine was a mix of gaining too much weight in college," he said. "I went to a school that had a buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and that was a huge mistake."
Colon said sleep problems can happen for a number of reasons, like being stressed out while trying to sleep. He said not getting enough sleep can age you.
"Neurocognitively can affect our attention. It can be associated with mood disorders and car accidents, as well," he said.
It's how we bounce back from a lack of sleep that matters. Colon said midday napping isn't the answer. It can actually make things worse. He said going to bed at a regular time and putting down the devices is the best way to get a good night's sleep.
"Having a consistent wake time helps drive our sleep drive," he said. "Within the first couple hours of sleep, we actually get into the deepest stage of sleep that washes away all of our fatigue and sleepiness."
DOWNLOAD
the free
Gulf Coast News app
for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more.