Sadly, sleep disorders are slow killers.

 

There is no pain or immediate cause and effect. Bad sleep habits are often years in the making. We all can pick up bad habits from a young age and this becomes the norm. When we’re young, it is easier to cope with sleep debt from days or even months of not sleeping well.

 

But as time goes on, there are more responsibilities—like having a stressful job, meeting deadlines, raising a family, facing medical and emotional illnesses, loss, bereavement, not to mention the time changes that happen every spring and winter.

 

It is easy to take a pill or try a new hack that you found on the internet. But the road to good sleep is like taking the stairs; there are no quick fixes. It’s about discipline and creating sleep-positive routines and staying clear of all the misinformation.

 

But as we all know, sleep is absolutely essential to all aspects of life.

 

We need sleep for learning, eating well, performing athletically, having sex, feeling well emotionally, and maintaining healthy relationships. So, if sleep is so important, why are so few people getting help for their sleep disorders?

 

Most people wrongly assume that sleep is far less important than it is. Even though they may be suffering from poor sleep for several reasons, they don’t consider it to be bad enough to seek help. For many who are interested in seeking help, they worry that there will be a delay in getting to see a sleep physician and that the testing will be cumbersome, expensive, or uncomfortable.

 

Also, people assume that the diagnostic process for a sleep disorder like apnea is arduous and requires staying overnight in a strange place with several wires hanging off their body while also being monitored on camera.

 

Thankfully, home testing has revolutionized the field of sleep diagnostic methodology and there is no need to go to a strange place for testing. Apart from rare instances where a person would need to be monitored in-person overnight, you can have your sleep assessed in the comfort of your own home. Furthermore, home testing is more accurate than ever, and comparable to an in-lab study.

 

But the main reason why people don’t seek help early is the fact that sleep problems can seem trivial, even though they’re quite serious. Sleep problems don’t “hurt”, and you don’t notice disrupted sleep and snoring when you are asleep.

 

My goal (and hope) is for you and your whole family to sleep better.

The process of going to sleep is an art. It takes time, patience, and discipline. At times, you may fall off the band wagon due to life events, but by following the 7 Proven Sleep Strategies, you can get back on it.