18 Things You Should Know About Sleep, According To A Sleep Doctor

    "The brain craves routine for good sleep."

    Dr. Nitun Verma, a Stanford-trained sleep doctor, recently went on Reddit to answer questions about sleep. Here are some of the important takeaways from his AMA:

    1. The three keys to a getting a good night's sleep:

    2. Regarding sleeping in on the weekends:

    3. So how much sleep should you get a night?

    4. OK, but what if a job/residency requires day/night shifts?

    5. Debunking a common sleep myth:

    6. But what if that small amount of sleep is a DEEP sleep?

    7. Are there really different stages of sleep?

    8. And what about REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep?

    9. How long should it take to fall asleep?

    10. Why does it take so long for some people to fall asleep?

    11. On dealing with a restless mind at night and the inability to fall asleep:

    12. Regarding Restless Leg Syndrome:

    13. Is it normal to wake up a few times per night?

    14. What's the most common cause of sleeplessness or insomnia?

    15. The effect drinking has on sleep:

    16. On dealing with auditory hallucinations, visual hallucinations of your body "coming out of itself," and sleep paralysis:

    17. On how to deal with and cure sleep apnea:

    18. And finally, on the use of mobile sleep apps:

    For more on this topic, feel free to browse the Reddit thread or check out Dr. Verma's blog PeerWell.