adhd and sleep disorder

sleep disorders

Evidence from a recently conducted National Sleep Foundation polls reveals that:

• 75% of people questioned reported that they often have sleep problems.



• As little as 1 out of 2 of people questioned reported that they slept without difficulty on most nights.



• 25% of people questioned reported that problems sleeping affected their daily lives.

The poll also demonstrated that:

• Just under two thirds of motorists questioned reported driving while drowsy in the previous twelve months. (4 % reported that they had had an accident or near-accident as a result of tiredness or actually falling asleep while driving.)



• People referenced sleep-related issues as the most usual reason for being late for work. Almost 1 in 3 of working adults reported missing work, events/activities or making errors at work because of sleep-related problems in the previous 3 months.



• 75% of individuals polled reported a sleep problem with their partner - snoring being the commonest. Partnered adults, suffer doubly disruptive sleep problems, as one partner's sleep problem could cause the other to lose, on average, about an hour of sleep every night.



• 25% of individuals polled with partners report troubles in their sexual relationship as a result of tiredness. They enjoy sex less frequently or lose interest in having sex as a result of tiredness. Numerous couples sleep apart because of sleeping problems.

Many people experience the occasional sleepless night without any consequences. Once, however, the occasional night once in a while turns into a pattern of several nights in a row, you are facing a sleeping problem.

In addition to the alarm clock beside your bed, the clock on your mantelpiece or your wrist watch, all of which, if you are like me, govern your life to a large extent, you also possess your own internal clock which dictates your body's rhythm.

Your internal clock controls many of your body's functions, regulating such things as temperature and the release of hormones and, most importantly, telling you when it's time to go to sleep and to get up.

Following the pattern of day and night (light and darkness) this internal clock tracks a pattern of more or less 24 hours thereby giving your body a 24 hour rhythm or, to give it its proper title, a circadian rhythm - from the Latin circa (about) dies (a day).

Whenever you circadian rhythm is upset because of shift work, you may suffer from temporary sleep disorders such as transient insomnia or excessive daytime sleepiness. If not treated, transient sleep problems connected to a change in your work schedule could become chronic and in serious cases might even necessitate medical intervention.

Shift work also places you at a heightened risk of chronic gastrointestinal and cardiovascular problems. Heartburn, flu, high blood pressure, weight gain, indigestion, colds and menstrual irregularities are all documented more amongst shift workers.

At its simplest, jet lag is an extremely common sleep disorder endured by many millions of travelers each day. It affects both those people traveling on business and on vacation and, in a recent survey of international business travelers, 3/4 of those questioned said that they suffered frequently from jet lag.

Jet lag affects people of all ages and, despite the fact that it varies widely from one person to another, it tends to be more severe the older you are.

As well, if you are already experiencing sleeping problems, you may well find that jet lag is more of a problem.

Jet lag also increases as you cross a growing number of time zones. If the difference in time between your departure point and your destination is just an hour or two, then you may not experience jet lag at all. However, if the time difference is three hours or more then jet lag will begin to appear and its effects will be more pronounced the bigger the time difference.

Finally, the symptoms of jet lag do not always appear at once and, for a few individuals, it could well be a couple of days before it hits.

Restless leg syndrome (RLS), a familial disorder causing unpleasant prickling, tingling, or crawling sensations in the legs and feet and a desire to move them to get relief, is emerging as one of the more common sleep disorders, particularly among the elderly.

Affecting as many as 12 million individuals in the US, this disorder leads to continual movement of the legs during the day and to insomnia at night.

Severe RLS is most common in elderly people, although symptoms may develop at any age. In some cases, it may be linked to other conditions such as diabetes, anemia, or pregancy.

Sleep apnea is one of the most common and most dangerous sleep disorders. Approximately 18 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, which is marked by recurring episodes of cessation of breathing during sleep. In time this can result in high blood pressure, cardiac disease, and disordered thinking.

Usually connected with increasing age, sleep apnea can occur together with fat buildup or loss of muscle tone. These changes permit a collapse in the windpipe while breathing Whenever muscles relax during sleep.

This form of the condition, named obstructive sleep apnea, is often connected to loud snoring (though not everyone who snores has this condition). Sleep apnea can also occur if the neurons that control breathing malfunction during sleep.

During obstructive sleep apnea, attempts to inhale air will create suction which collapses the windpipe. This, in turn, blocks the air flow for between ten seconds and one minute while you struggle to breathe. When your blood oxygen level falls, the brain responds by awakening you enough to tighten the upper airway muscles and open the windpipe. You may gasp or snort, then resume breathing. This cycle may be repeated hundreds of times a night.

The constant awakenings which you experience as a sleep apnea sufferer leave you feeling permanently fatigued and might produce changes in personality like irritability or depression. Sleep apnea also leaves you short of oxygen, which can lead to morning headaches, a decline in mental functioning, or a loss of interest in sex. High blood pressure, an irregular heartbeat, and an increased risk of stroke and heart attack also Often arise in cases of sleep apnea.

If you suffer from severe, untreated sleep apnea you are also 2 to 3 times more likely to have an automobile accident than the general population.

Mild sleep apnea can sometimes be overcome by loosing weight or by preventing yourself from sleeping on your back. You may also need special devices or surgery to clear the obstruction.

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