Grand Canyon Times

• 60-75% of people with chronic sinusitis also struggle with sleep apnea.
• There are simple steps that a sinusitis sufferer can take to improve their sleep.
• Studies have shown that patients who undergo a minimally invasive sinus procedure, find that their sleep quality improves drastically.

Dr. Brian Lee of Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy Center said sinusitis can lead to issues with sleep, which can affect every aspect of someone's life. That's why it's important to seek treatment from a specialist in order to treat these problems. 

"For the unfortunate millions of people that are suffering with chronic sinus issues, all of these sinus issues trickled down into every facet of their life because when you're not breathing through your nose, you're not sleeping well and then you don't have the proper energy and you feel foggy all the time," Dr. Lee said. "Unfortunately, this happens kind of slowly and chronically, and people unfortunately accept this as the new norm and figure, well, most people are like this, or this is just kind of the way it is and something they got to live with. Luckily that's not the case and there are a lot of easy simple things we can do to really improve their quality of life."

A study published by the National Library of Medicine found that people who suffer from chronic sinusitis are more likely to experience poor quality sleep. While 8-18% of the general population suffers from sleep disruption, the study found that 60-75% of people with chronic sinusitis experience sleep disruption. The study found that chronic sinusitis patients who experience sleep disruption are also more likely to experience depression, a decreased quality of life, difficulty concentrating, fatigue throughout the day, and decreased memory and productivity.

Signs that your sleep quality could be better can include taking more than 30 minutes to fall asleep at night, regularly waking up more than once during the night, experiencing breakouts, having red or puffy eyes or dark circles under the eyes, finding it difficult to concentrate during the day, or feeling tired throughout the day. In addition to chronic health conditions, factors that can contribute to poor sleep quality include stress and anxiety, the absence of a regular sleep schedule, or drinking too much caffeine or alcohol. To improve sleep quality, the Sleep Foundation recommends implementing a consistent sleep schedule, not watching TV or looking at a phone or computer within 30 minutes of going to bed, not drinking alcohol or caffeine before bed, and starting a relaxing bedtime routine. If sleep quality does not improve after implementing those changes, it could be time to talk a doctor.

Many patients who undergo a minimally invasive surgery to treat their chronic sinusitis also find that after the surgery, their quality of sleep drastically improves, according to Atlanta ENT. A study of more than 500 patients who underwent sinus surgery found significant improvement in the patients' sleep quality and overall quality of life.