Sleep Quality in Kansas City and the Changing Seasons

We’re all aware of the seasons—especially here in Kansas City, where they’re so very dramatic—but most of us never think about the effect that the changing seasons may have on our quality of sleep. Or, for that matter, the significant effect that quality of sleep can have on our overall health and productivity. Fortunately, your Kansas City sleep specialist keeps up on these things, and we’ve got some tips that can help you get the most out of your sleep all year round!

As the seasons change in Kansas City, all sorts of things can affect your sleep, from temperature variations and humidity to allergies and even the phases of the moon—especially if light from that full moon is streaming in through your bedroom window! Maybe one of the best-known seasonal changes that affect sleep is daylight saving time. Think about the last time we switched the clocks back or forward an hour. Want to bet that everyone at the office came in a little extra bleary-eyed for the next few days, even if they were getting an extra hour of sleep, rather than an hour less?

Other sleep-affecting factors include changes to temperature and humidity. In January and February, the average lows in Kansas City are around 18-20 degrees. With cold weather often comes very dry air, especially inside the house. And dry air means dry throat and nasal membranes, which can lead to congestion and exacerbate snoring and other symptoms of sleep apnea.

Meanwhile, high temperatures in June, July, and August often reach above 90 degrees in Kansas City, which can be accompanied by very high humidity. High heat combined with high humidity can prevent moisture from evaporating off your body, and we all know that leads to hours of tossing and turning in bed. What your sleep apnea specialist in Kansas City also knows is that, just like too much dry air, too much humidity can lead to congestion and snoring as moisture in your nose and mouth fails to evaporate properly. In a recent survey, 85% of adults in the United States said they had trouble sleeping, while 43% of them cited the temperature of the room as a contributing factor.

On top of all that, Kansas City is #38 on the Live Science 100 Worst US Cities for People with Allergies list, and allergy-causing agents like pollen are particularly bad this year. So while there are certainly worse places to live if you’re an allergy sufferer, there aren’t many.

So what can you do to sleep better and wake up feeling more refreshed, no matter what time of year? A good place to start is to call your Kansas City sleep specialist for an evaluation. Especially if you suffer sleep problems due to snoring, which can be an indicator of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. At Blacker Family Dental, we’re not just your family dentist, we’re also a sleep apnea specialist in Kansas City, and we can help you to sleep better all year round. Give us a call today at (816) 763-8400 or click here to schedule an appointment.