Keys to a sleep-friendly bedroom

It is recommended that adults get 7 – 9 hours of sleep each night. If we are spending 1/3 of our life in the bedroom trying to sleep, are their things that we can do to make the bedroom more sleep-friendly? Absolutely!

 

First, the easy things that you can do tonight. 

• Cool the room – lower body temperature typically occurs before sleep
• Make the room completely dark – no night lights, hall lights, or moon light
• Decrease noise – turn off all electronics, fix that noisy ceiling fan, and be sure the rest of the house is quiet. The only exception to this rule is soothing noise – some people benefit from white noise or noise machines that mimic a babbling brook or the ocean.

 Next, the things that take a little effort 

• Clean the room - an organized room leaves less to be anxious about just before bed
• No computers or work in the bedroom – If you train your mind to work in bed, it will not sleep. The bedroom is only for sleep and “companionship” with your significant other.
• No TV – see above
• Bedding – Buy a comfortable bed, pillow, and linens. You spend 1/3 of your life in bed – splurge a little.
• Keep those new linens clean. It makes the bed more inviting.

 Finally, the extras 

• Soothing wall colors may help. Consider blue or grey. Stay away from red or bright yellow.
• Soothing smells such as lavender or vanilla will help you relax
• Sleeping in the nude helps with temperature regulation

 Zachary Wassmuth, MD

Prolonged Nasal Steroid Use - Safe or Dangerous?

As an otolaryngologist, I am frequently asked if nasal steroid sprays, one of the most common treatments for chronic sinus and allergy problems, are dangerous to use over the long term. In general, the answer is no.

Let’s look at a few issues specifically...

The most common side effects from nasal steroids are local. Some patients have mild burning, dryness, or nose bleeds. These are reasons to change brands or stop the medication all together. A rare local complication includes septal perforation, or a hole in the septum that divides the nose in half. This is a complication that would typically happen after significant nose bleeds develop. So again, if nose bleeds are a problem, stop the medication and see your otolaryngologist.

Systemic side effects such as adrenal suppression, blunted growth, glaucoma, cataracts, osteoporosis, and diabetes have long been a worry since high dose oral steroids can have these complications. The good news is that over the years, nasal steroids have become much less “bioavailable” . The nasal sprays treat topically, but very little is actually absorbed into the bloodstream. More recent studies have failed to show any significant risk for any of these side effects with properly used nasal steroids.

If you suffer from chronic nasal/sinus problems and nasal steroid sprays help, feel confident that long term use is quite safe.

Zachary Wassmuth, MD