Royal Oak and Birmingham, MI
When your alarm goes off in the morning, are you one of those people who hits snooze… or maybe just dismisses the alarm completely and goes back to sleep? Maybe you’re the type of individual who needs an alarm for their alarm. Today on the blog, we go through five tips to feel more energized in the morning and how your dentist – yes, your dentist – can help.
Tip 1: Breakfast
While there is no medical consensus to prove the old cliche about breakfast being the most important meal of the day, eating a healthy breakfast every day does provide a boost in energy. Opt for a good source of lean protein, combined with some complex carbohydrates such as whole-wheat bread or steel-cut oats. This pairing will provide nutrients and energy to your body to sustain you at least until lunch.
Tip 2: What’s the tea?
As in hot tea, which contains caffeine – although less than coffee – to boost your energy. Unlike coffee, tea also can reduce stress, increase antioxidants and improve gut health. Make sure to limit the amount of sugar you add to your tea, which could increase your vulnerability to cavities and tooth decay.
Tip 3: Work it out
Regular daily exercise can give you a boost in energy. It does not have to be overly strenuous; something simple such as running in place, push-ups, sit-ups or squats for one minute can suffice.
Tip 4: Meditate
Meditation can help clear your mind and improve your focus before beginning that day’s list of tasks. There are several different meditation methods: deep breathing, focusing on an immobile object in the room or listening to calming music. There are also apps and online videos to aid meditation. The end result, though, can boost your energy for the day.
Tip 5: Improve your sleep
Your body needs the right amount of quality sleep to function at optimum levels. Quality is the key word here; six hours of deep restful sleep are preferable to seven or more hours of fitful sleep. You can take steps to improve the quality of your sleep: establishing and sticking to a consistent sleep schedule, restricting your consumption of caffeine, refraining from screen time near bedtime, just to name a few tips. However, if you suffer from a sleep breathing disorder such as sleep apnea, getting deep, restful sleep could be impossible to reach until you receive treatment for the disorder.
Obstructive sleep apnea causes blockages in the airway that impede or totally disrupt the flow of air, hindering the oxygen levels in your body and disrupting your sleep. Each of these blockages, known as an apneic event, means you spend less time in the deepest stages of sleep, which can leave you feeling tired and sluggish no matter how early your bedtime may be.
How can your dentist help you feel more energy?
Dr. Nancy Hartrick is a sleep apnea dentist. This means she specializes in airway management and the treatment of sleep apnea without the need for CPAP. She can perform an airway screening, then refer you to a sleep specialist for an official diagnosis of sleep apnea. From there, return to Hartrick Dentistry to receive treatment for your sleep apnea in Royal Oak through oral appliance therapy. This entails wearing a customized mouth guard that brings the lower jaw forward, thus preventing the airway blockages that lead to apneic events.
To find out more about Hartrick Dentistry and our sleep apnea treatment, schedule a consultation today by calling (249) 549-0950.