apnea sleep disorder

sleep disorders

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

• Three quarters of people polled said that they often suffer from difficulties in sleeping.



• Just 1 out of 2 of people polled said that they usually slept reasonably well.



• 25% of people polled said that problems sleeping affected their daily lives.

The poll also showed that:

• Just under two thirds of motorists reported driving while drowsy in the past twelve months. (4 % reported that they had had an accident or near-accident through tiredness or having fallen asleep while they were driving.)



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



• 3 out of 4 of adults questioned reported a sleep problem with their partner - snoring being the most common. Partnered adults, suffer doubly disruptive sleep difficulties, as one partner's sleep difficulty may cause the other to lose, on average, nearly an hour of sleep nightly.



• A quarter of adults questioned with partners report problems in their sexual relationship as a result of tiredness. They enjoy sex less often or lose interest in sex through tiredness. A large number of couples sleep separately because of sleeping problems.

A significant number of people suffer from the occasional sleepless night without any consequences. If, however, the odd night now and again turns into a pattern of several nights in a row, you are looking at a sleeping problem.

Sleep apnea is among the commonest and most dangerous types of sleep disorder. About 18 million Americans suffer from this condition, which is marked by repeating episodes in which you stop breathing while sleeping. Over a period of time this can produce disordered thinking, cardiac disease, and high blood pressure.

Often linked with aging, sleep apnea can occur in association with fat buildup or loss of muscle tone. These changes cause a collapse in the windpipe while breathing When muscles relax during sleep.

This form of the condition, known as obstructive sleep apnea, is ordinarily connected to loud snoring (though not everybody who snores suffers from this condition). Sleep apnea may also occur if the neurons that control breathing don't function properly during sleep.

During an episode of obstructive sleep apnea, attempts to inhale air will create suction which results in the collapse the windpipe. This, in turn, blocks the air flow for anything from about ten seconds up to a minute while you struggle to breathe. As your blood oxygen level falls, the brain reacts by awakening you sufficiently to tighten the muscles of the upper airway and open the windpipe. You may snort or gasp, then start breathing again. 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 sleepy and may lead to changes in personality such as irritability or depression. Sleep apnea also leaves you short of oxygen, which may lead to a decline in mental functioning, morning headaches, or a loss of interest in sex. High blood pressure, an irregular heartbeat, and a raised risk of stroke and heart attack also frequently arise in cases of sleep apnea.

If you are suffering from from severe, untreated sleep apnea you appear 2 to 3 times more likely to be involved in an automoblie accident than the general population.

Mild sleep apnea can frequently be overcome by reducing your weight or by preventing yourself from sleeping on your back. You may need a special device or surgery to clear the obstruction.

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

Affecting as many as 12 million people in the US, restless leg syndrome leads to constant leg movement during the day and insomnia at night.

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

It is thought that over 35 million individuals in America suffer from chronic insomnia (a problem sleeping each night or virtually all nights for a period of more than six months), with an additional 20 to 30 million individuals suffering shorter-term insomnia (a problem sleeping well for a period of a month to six months). In addition, a lot of people suffer from insomnia over shorter periods (less than 4 weeks) and this is ordinarily known as transient insomnia.

Transient insomnia is typically brought on by excitement (a child anticipating the arrival of Father Christmas) or by stress (concern about a forthcoming job interview). It also often results from air travel (jet lag) and can be seen in those who exercise late in the day, shortly before going to bed. It is also often linked to illness (colds/flu) and with several over-the-counter medications (for example, some medicines bought for colds or asthma).

Men and women of all ages suffer from insomnia, although it is more common in the elderly and in women, particularly after the menopause.

Insomnia can be separated into three categories:

• "Initial" insomnia: where you display a difficulty in in falling asleep, typically taking 30 minutes or more to fall into a sleep state.



• "Middle" insomnia: where, having fallen asleep, you have problems maintaining a sleep state and usually stay awake into the early morning hours.



• "Late" or "Terminal" insomnia: where you wake up early in the morning after less than 6 hours of sleep.

Insomnia can occasionally be just the symptom of an underlying medical conditions which could well require advice from your doctor and medical care. Here it is a case of treating the cause, rather than the insomnia.

If, however, your inability to sleep results from a pattern of not sleeping, or your body and brain find difficulty in settling into a state of relaxation necessary for sleep, then there are several choices for achieving healthy sleep without using prescription drugs.

Jet lag is a very common sleep disorder endured by millions of travelers every day. It affects both those people traveling on business and on holiday and, in a recent survey of international business travelers, three quarters of those questioned said that they suffered frequently from jet lag.

Jet lag affects people of all ages and, although it varies widely from individual to individual, it tends to become more severe the older you get.

Further, if you already have sleeping difficulties, you could 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 simply an hour or two, then you might 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 become increasingly pronounced the bigger the time difference.

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

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apnea sleep disorder, sleep disorders