Expert advice available for slumber issues

Tauranga people sick of not getting a good night's sleep are turning to a specialist for help.

Dr Alex Bartle is the only specialist who focuses on sleep in the Western Bay and holds his Sleep Well Clinics in Welcome Bay every fortnight.

"If you're tired all the time, even if you think that you're getting enough sleep, there's likely to be a problem," he said.

Ahead of World Sleep Day tomorrow Dr Bartle wants all Western Bay residents to know they don't have to wake up feeling tired, puffy eyed and rolling over and going back to sleep.

He also wants people to know that sleeping pills aren't their only option - especially given the findings of a recent study that found taking sleeping pills could cause an early death.

There are two top reasons that Tauranga people go to see Dr Bartle - insomnia and snoring or sleep apnoea.

"A lot of people think snoring is normal. Dad did it so it's okay to do it," Dr Bartle said. "But there's a whole heap of things that could be done about that."

World Sleep Day is an annual event to celebrate shut-eye and raise awareness of sleep-related issues.

The theme of this year's World Sleep Day is "Breathe easily, sleep well", which aims to raise awareness of sleep apnoea.

Dr Bartle said sleep apnoea, which causes people to temporarily stop breathing and wake themselves up, could seriously affect someone's performance at work.

It's estimated it costs New Zealand $40million a year in lost productivity.

"In New Zealand studies have shown that increasing obesity is linked to the rising prevalence of sleep apnoea, not only in adults but also in children. It affects at least 16,000 adults - 4 per cent of the population - and up to 2 per cent of children."

10 tips to have a better sleep

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  If you wake during the night, turn over, don't look at the clock and try to go back to sleep.
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  Get out of bed if you wake up and can't get to sleep. Write down what's on your mind or try some light reading.
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  Writing a journal is a good thing to be doing before bed, as is writing your "to do" list so you don't try to remember it.
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  If you have an alarm clock in your room make sure you can't see it - keep it out of sight and out of reach.
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  Take a bath or shower about an hour before bed. The body needs to be cool/not too hot to sleep well.
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  Computer screens are backlit blue, which suppresses melatonin through the retina in your eyes. Turn off your PC or iPad and stop playing with your iPhone at least an hour before bed.
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  Set a regular bedtime.
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  Try some relaxation techniques, like abdominal breathing, progressive muscle relaxation and visualisation.
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  Have a comfy bed and make sure you can stretch and turn comfortably, even if you are sharing with a partner.
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  Avoid heavy, rich foods within two hours of bed. Fatty foods take a lot of work for your stomach to digest and may keep you up.

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