Rest Assured: The Web Can Help You Sleep Better
If you're having trouble sleeping, seek counsel! And with the Web acting as your personal sleep counselor, you'll find advice on getting a good night's sleep, information on what could be keeping you up at night, a host of theories about the function and meaning of dreams, resources to help you sleep better, and the latest professional research.
If we get the doctor-recommended eight hours of sleep each night, we'll spend 122 days of each year snoozing! Luckily, it's not all wasted time. Sleep is a very important biological function; it's a time during which our bodies repair muscle tissue, consolidate memories, and release hormones to regulate our growth and appetites. Thus, losing sleep means losing mental and physical productivity during waking hours.
But if sleep is so important, why are more and more people getting less and less of it? Whether it's stress at work or home, demanding daily schedules, or undiagnosed sleeping disorders, many Americans are suffering unnecessarily at night.
The first step to getting better (and more) sleep is awareness; use this guide to build a foundation of knowledge about sleep and healthy habits.
- Below you'll find sites that answer fundamental questions like "What happens when I sleep?", "Why is sleep important?", "How much sleep should I get?", and "Why am I having trouble sleeping?".
- Sleep research is an increasingly important field of scientific study and there are many national government and nonprofit organizations dedicated to sleep advocacy and education. Their Web sites are quality sources of verifiable information that make learning more about sleep and sleep-disorder treatment easy.
- The significance of sleep (as well as the related issues) varies for children, adults, and seniors, so make sure you’re visiting a site that’s geared toward the right age group. Included below are sites with age-specific sleep information resources.
For an overview …
Mayo Clinic
's Sleep Center has a host of articles addressing important sleep-related issues like daily requirements, sleeping pills, jet lag, and more. It's an authoritative source for information on how to sleep better, and on diagnosing and treating sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, insomnia, and narcolepsy.
SleepEducation.com
is a site run by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. In the "main navigation" bar you'll find links to information and resources on the following topics: the effects of sleep, sleep evaluation, sleep studies, sleep disorders, common treatments, and finding a sleep center. The homepage also has a list of the latest sleep-related news stories.
For organizations …
The National Sleep Foundation
's site is an information trove. The resources section in the navigation bar on the left contains links to information on healthy sleep habits, as well as the programs, initiatives, events, and press releases of the organization. The NSF is an education and advocacy organization dedicated to bringing the importance of good sleep to the public's attention, helping those who suffer from disorders get treatment, and encouraging the passage of legislature related to sleep and alertness.
The Sleep Research Society
is a professional society of scientists that exists to advance the study of sleep and sleep disorders, to expand sleep education, and to provide a framework for scholarly discourse. Their site contains information specific to the organization, like its make-up, vision, events, and membership details.
National Center on Sleep Disorders Research
's "Patient and Public Information" portal has a "sleep quiz" to let you test your knowledge of proper sleep habits and common disorders. There is a page with free, downloadable information resources and links to the sites operated by other affiliated health organizations. The NCSDR is an organization affiliated with the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute that works to improve sleep research, training, technology transfer, and coordination.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine
(AASM) is a society of physicians, researchers, and health care professionals dedicated exclusively to improving standards in sleep medicine, research, knowledge, and treatment. Use this site if you're looking for information on the organization or for AASM press releases.
For seniors …
National Institutes of Health
: SeniorHealth has a short walk-through overview of the relationship between sleep and aging, and covers sleep disorders, diagnosis and treatment, and how to sleep well.
National Institute on Aging
's "AgePage" introduces common sleeping disorders like insomnia, apnea, and movement disorders, and offers suggestions for getting a good night's sleep and sleeping safely.
For children …
SleepForKids.com
is a children's sleep site created by the National Sleep Foundation. By following the adventures of P.J. Bear, kids can learn why sleep is important, how it works, how much they should get, what could be causing them not to sleep, and more.
Nemours Foundation
has information on sleep and sleeping habits that's geared toward teenagers. It addresses factors that could be contributing to loss of sleep, overviews prominent disorders, and offers insight about how to get help.
The National Sleep Foundation
conducts annual Sleep in America polls. The focus of the foundation’s 2006 poll was adolescent sleep habits. This page contains links to the study results, and press releases regarding the sleep habits of teenagers.
If you or a loved one is experiencing difficulty sleeping at night, or excessive sleepiness during ... read more »
Anyone who's having sleep-related health problems should give serious consideration to sleep ... read more »
Polls indicate that most Americans aren't sleeping well, and many of us are turning to sleep aids ... read more »
Dreams have been a source of study, speculation, and interpretation for all of history. Their ... read more »
Around the world scientists are constantly experimenting, polling, and researching in the area of ... read more »
Most Recent Guides
Expand All Guide Sections
