Light sleeper: Definition, causes, and treatments

A light sleeper is a person who wakes up easily. Being a light sleeper can make it more difficult to get a good night's sleep because a ... HealthConditionsHealthConditionsAlzheimer's&DementiaAnxietyArthritisAsthma&AllergiesBreastCancerCancerCardiovascularHealthCOVID-19Dermatology&SkincareDiabetesEnvironment&SustainabilityExercise&FitnessEyeHealthHeadache&MigraineHealthEquityHIV&AIDSHumanBiologyInflammatoryBowelDiseaseLeukemiaLGBTQIA+Men'sHealthMentalHealthMultipleSclerosis(MS)NutritionParkinson'sDiseasePsoriasisSexualHealthWomen'sHealthDiscoverNewsLatestNewsOriginalSeriesMedicalMythsHonestNutritionThroughMyEyesNewNormalHealthPodcastsTheamazingstoryofhepatitisC,fromdiscoverytocureNewdirectionsindementiaresearchCanpsychedelicsrewireadepressed,anxiousbrain?WhyclimatechangemattersforhumanhealthWhatdoesthelatestresearchsayaboutmultiplesclerosis?LongCOVID'scardiovascularimplicationsToolsGeneralHealthDrugsA-ZHealthHubsHealthToolsBMICalculatorsandChartsBloodPressureChart:RangesandGuideBreastCancer:Self-ExaminationGuideSleepCalculatorHealthProductsAffordableTherapyOptionsBloodPressureMonitorsDiabeticSuppliesFitnessTrackersHomeGymsGreenCleaningProductsHowtoShopforCBDQuizzesRAMythsvsFactsType2Diabetes:ManagingBloodSugarAnkylosingSpondylitisPain:FactorFictionConnectAboutMedicalNewsTodayWhoWeAreOurEditorialProcessContentIntegrityConsciousLanguageNewslettersSignUpFollowUsMedicalNewsTodayHealthConditionsDiscoverToolsConnectSubscribeLightsleeper:Meaning,remedies,andwhentoseeadoctorMedicallyreviewedbyRajDasgupta,MD—WrittenbyRachelNall,MSN,CRNAonJuly10,2020Whatisalightsleeper?DeepsleepCausesTreatmentsSeeingadoctorSummaryAlightsleeperisapersonwhowakesupeasily.Beingalightsleepercanmakeitmoredifficulttogetagoodnight’ssleepbecauseapersonwakesupfrequentlyanddoesnotenterthedeeperlevelsofsleep.Thisarticlewillexplainthecharacteristicsthatmakesomeonealightsleeperandthepossiblecauses.Whatisalightsleeper?ShareonPinterestSounds,evenquietones,maywakealightsleeper.Alightsleeperisapersonwhowillwakeupeasilyduetoevensmallchangesintheirenvironment.Thesemayinclude:smells,suchaswhenapersoniscookingsounds,evenquietoneslight,suchasthatfromcarheadlightsoroutsidestreetlightsApersonwhoisadeepsleepermayneedasignificantstimulustoawaken.Doctorsrefertothisstimulusasan“arousalthreshold.”Analarmbuzzorsomeoneshoutingatorshakingapersontowakethemupareexamplesofsignificantstimulithatcancreateanarousalthreshold.Lightsleepvs.deepsleepApersongoesthroughseveralstagesofsleepduringanight.Thesestagesinclude:Stage1:Thisisnon-rapideyemovement(REM)sleep.Thisstageisusuallyshortandlastsonlyafewminutes,asapersontransitionsfrombeingawaketosleeping.Aperson’sheartbeat,breathing,andeyemovementsstarttoslowdown,andtheyenteraperiodoflightsleep.Stage2:Duringthisstage,themusclesbecomemorerelaxed,andtheheartrateandbreathingrateslowfurther.Thesecondstagelastsforabout30–60minutesbeforeapersontransitionsintostage3.Itiscommonforpeopletospendmostoftheirrepeatedsleepcyclesinstage2.Stage3:Thisstageisanon-REMsleepperiodinwhichapersonisinrefreshing,deepsleep.Theirheartrateslowsdown,and,duringthistime,itisusuallyhardtoawakenaperson.Learnmoreaboutdeepsleephere.REMsleep:Inthissleepperiod,aperson’seyesmoverapidly.Thismovementusuallystartsabout90minutesafterapersonfallsasleep.DreamingoftentakesplaceduringREMsleep,andaperson’sheartrateandbloodpressurerise.Duringthistime,aperson’sbrainwaveactivityissimilartohowitiswhentheyareawake.LearnmoreaboutREMsleephere.Mostpeoplewillnaturallyfollowsleeptransitionsfromlighttodeepsleepthroughoutthenight.However,alightsleepermayrarelycyclethroughthedeepersleepstages.CausesApersonwhoisalightsleepermayhaveadifferentarousalthresholdthandeepersleepers.Manyfactorsaffectaperson’sthresholdforwakingup.Theseinclude:theamountoftimetheyspendawakeduringthedaythestageofsleepandbrainactivityduringthesleepstageaperson’slevelofvigilancebeforetheywenttosleep—forexample,apersonwhoisnervousoranxiouswhengoingtosleepmaywakeupmoreeasilythansomeonewhoisrelaxedDoctorshaveattemptedtomeasurebrainwavesasanindicatorofhowdeeplyapersonsleeps,andtheyhaveidentifiedbrainwavespikesknownas“sleepspindles.”Theseareprotectiveagainstexternalstimuli,suchassoundandlight,whichcouldcauseapersontowakeup.Whenapersonexperiencesmoresleepspindlesduringsleep,theyarelesslikelytorespondtoexternalstimulation.However,doctorshavenotidentifiedhowtoencouragemoresleepspindlesinhumans.Manyofthestudiesrelatingtosleepspindlesandrespondingtooutsidestimulationhaveusedrodentsasthesubjects.Acombinationofbodychanges,brainwaveadjustments,andhormonalrhythmsinfluencehowapersonsleeps.Eachofthesefactorscanplayaroleinwhetherapersonsleepslightly,deeply,orsomewherein-between.TreatmentsandremediesLightsleeperscantryseveraltechniquesthatmayhelpthemwakeuplessoftenatnight.HomeremediesWhenapersonhasdifficultysleepingsoundly,theymaytrytoimprovetheir“sleephygiene.”Thistermreferstothesleephabitsthatcouldhelpapersonsleepmoredeeply.Examplesinclude:settingaconsistentsleepschedulethatinvolvesgoingtobedandwakingupatthesametimeeachdayexercisingforatleast20–30minutesaday,butrefrainingfromexercisingatleast3hoursbeforegoingtobedkeepingthebedroomcoolanddarksothatitpromotessleepavoidingusingatelevision,computer,orcellphoneinthebedroom,whichmayhelpbyprovidinglightcuestotellthebodythatitistimetosleepavoidingnicotine,alcohol,andcaffeinebeforebed,asthesecanaffectthedepthofsleepandincreasewakefulnessmeditatingorpracticingsomeotherrelaxationtechniquesbeforebed,whichcanhelpapersonunwindandideallyfeellessanxious,possiblyenhancingsleeplisteningtowhitenoiseorsoft,instrumentalmusicwhileasleeptoprovideaconsistentstimulus,soapersonislessresponsivetoothersoundswhilesleepingwearinganeyemaskorusingothermethods,suchasdarkcurtainsorclosedblinds,toblockoutlightLearnmoretipsforgettingtosleepeasilyhere.MedicaltreatmentsDoctorscanalsoprescribemedicationstohelptreatproblemssleeping.Theseusuallytreatinsomnia,whichisdifficultygoingtosleeporstayingasleep.Lightsleepersdonotnecessarilyhaveinsomnia,buttheymaybenefitfrommedicationtohelpthemsleepmoredeeply.Examplesinclude:Nonbenzodiazepinehypnotics:Nonbenzodiazepinehypnoticsarethemostcommonlyprescribedmedicationstotreatsleepdisorders.Examplesincludezolpidem(Ambien)andeszopiclone(Lunesta).Thesemedicationshelpimprovesleepmaintenanceinsomeindividuals.Melatoninagonists:Melatoninisahormonethatplaysaroleinregulatingaperson’ssleep-wakecycle.Melatoninisavailableinanover-the-counterformindosesthatrangefrom0.1to5milligrams(mg).However,doctorscanalsoprescribeamedicationcalledramelteon(Rozerem),whichactstostimulatemoremelatoninproductioninthebody.Antidepressants:TheFoodandDrugAdministration(FDA)haveapprovedthetricyclicantidepressantdoxepin(Silenor)totreatinsomniathataffectsaperson’sabilitytostayasleep.Doctorscanprescribethemedicationatdosesthatrangefrom3to6mg.Lesscommonly,doctorsprescribeorrecommendsomeothermedicationstotreatsleepconcerns.Theseincludeantihistamines,suchasdiphenhydramine(Benadryl),andbenzodiazepines,suchaslorazepam(Ativan)oralprazolam(Xanax).Thesemedicationsmaybelesseffectiveintreatinglightsleepinginthelongtermandmayhavemoresideeffectsthanbenefits.Learnmoreabouthowtogetenoughsleephere.WhentoseeadoctorIfbeingalightsleeperaffectsaperson’squalityoflife,theyshouldseetheirdoctor.Someexamplesofhowlightsleepingmayaffectaperson’squalityoflifeinclude:creatingoraddinganxietyaroundsleepingexperiencingexcessivedaytimesleepinessthataffectsaperson’sworkorschoolabilitiesaffectingrelationshipswithasignificantotherduetosleepconcernsorissuesAgoodnight’ssleepisimportanttoaperson’shealthintermsofphysicalandmentalperformance.Ifapersonsleepssolightlythattheycannotsleepwell,theyshouldseetheirdoctor.SummaryLightsleeperswakeupeasilytochangesinenvironmentalstimuli,suchaslight,sounds,orsmells.Therearemanypotentialcauses.Ifapersonexperiencesunrefreshingsleepduetobeingalightsleeper,theyshouldtalktotheirdoctoraboutpotentialsolutions.LastmedicallyreviewedonJuly10,2020Neurology/NeurosciencePsychology/PsychiatrySleep/SleepDisorders/Insomnia7sourcescollapsedMedicalNewsTodayhasstrictsourcingguidelinesanddrawsonlyfrompeer-reviewedstudies,academicresearchinstitutions,andmedicaljournalsandassociations.Weavoidusingtertiaryreferences.Welinkprimarysources—includingstudies,scientificreferences,andstatistics—withineacharticleandalsolistthemintheresourcessectionatthebottomofourarticles.Youcanlearnmoreabouthowweensureourcontentisaccurateandcurrentbyreadingoureditorialpolicy.Agoodnight'ssleep.(2016).https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/good-nights-sleepAndrillon,T.,&Kouider,S.(2020).Thevigilantsleeper:Neuralmechanismsofsensory(de)couplingduringsleep.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468867319301889Brainbasics:Understandingsleep.(2019).https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Understanding-SleepKaplan,K.A.,etal.(2017).Correlatesofsleepqualityinmidlifeandbeyond:Amachinelearninganalysis.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1389945717301272Matheson,E.,&Hainer,B.L.(2017).Insomnia:Pharmacologictherapy.https://www.aafp.org/afp/2017/0701/p29.htmlQanash,S.,etal.(2017).Assessmentofintervention-relatedchangesinnon-rapid-eye-movementsleepdepth:Importanceofsleepdepthchangeswithinstage2.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1389945717303854Sadeghi,R.,etal.(2020).Sleeppropensityandsleepapnea-specifichypoxiaareassociatedwithexcessivedaytimesleepiness.https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1164/ajrccm-conference.2020.201.1_MeetingAbstracts.A2704FEEDBACK:MedicallyreviewedbyRajDasgupta,MD—WrittenbyRachelNall,MSN,CRNAonJuly10,2020LatestnewsHowsoundandelectricalbodystimulationcouldhelptreatchronicpainTestosteronemaypromote'cuddling',notjustviolence,animalstudyfindsMigraine:BloodproteinscouldbeacauseandpathwayfornewtreatmentsHowthebrain's'centralalarmsystem'gathersthreatsandturnsthemintofearDietarysaltsubstitutesmaylowerriskofheartdisease,stroke,all-causedeathRelatedCoverageWhatisdeepsleep,andhowmuchofitdoyouneed?MedicallyreviewedbyDeborahWeatherspoon,Ph.D.,MSNThereareseveralstagesofsleep,andtheyareallimportant.Duringdeepsleep,thebodyrestoresvariousfunctions,includingenergyandmemory…READMOREHowlongistheidealnap?MedicallyreviewedbyDebraRoseWilson,Ph.D.,MSN,R.N.,IBCL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