circadian rhythm sleep disorder

sleep disorders

In a recent poll carried out on behalf of the National Sleep Foundation (NSF):

• 3 out of 4 of people polled reported that they often suffer from difficulties in sleeping.



• Just 50% of people polled reported that they usually slept reasonably well.



• A quarter of people polled reported that difficulty in sleeping had an impact upon their daily lives.

The poll also revealed that:

• 60% of motorists questioned reported driving while drowsy in the past twelve months. (4 % reported having an accident or near-accident through tiredness or falling asleep while driving.)



• Those polled referenced sleep-related issues as the usual reason for being late for work. Almost two thirds of working adults reported missing work, events/activities or making errors at work as a result of sleep-related problems in the preceding three months.



• Three quarters of those 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 problem can cause the other to lose, on average, about an hour of sleep every night.



• 25% of those questioned with partners report difficulties in their sexual relationship as a result of tiredness. They enjoy sex less frequently or lose interest in having sex because of tiredness. Many couples sleep apart because of a sleep problem.

A significant number of us experience the occasional sleepless night without any consequences. If, however, the occasional night from time to time becomes a pattern of several nights in a row, you are facing a sleeping problem.

Jet lag is an extremely common sleep disorder suffered by many millions of travelers daily. It affects both those traveling on holiday and on business and, in a recent survey of international business travelers, 3/4 of those questioned said that they often suffered from jet lag.

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

Also, if you already have sleeping difficulties, you could find that jet lag is more of a problem.

Jet lag also increases as you cross more and more time zones. If the time difference between your departure point and your destination is only an hour or two, then you might not experience jet lag at all. However, if the difference in time is three hours or more then jet lag will begin to appear and its effects will become more and more pronounced the larger the time difference.

Finally, the symptoms of jet lag do not always appear immediately and, for a few people, it may be a couple of days before it hits.

Sleep apnea is among the most common and most dangerous types of sleep disorder. About 18 million people in America suffer from this condition, which is characterised by repeated episodes of cessation of breathing during sleep. Over a period of time this can cause disordered thinking, cardiac disease, and high blood pressure.

Frequently connected with aging, sleep apnea can occur in association with fat buildup or loss of muscle tone. These changes permit a collapse in the windpipe while breathing When muscles relax in the course of sleep.

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

During an episode of obstructive sleep apnea, your effort to inhale air will create suction which collapses the windpipe. This blocks the air flow for between ten seconds and one minute while you struggle to breathe. As your blood oxygen level falls, the brain responds by waking you sufficiently to tighten the upper airway muscles 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 well lead to changes in personality like depression and irritability. Sleep apnea also deprives you 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 Typically 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 automobile accidents than the general population.

Mild sleep apnea can often be overcome by dieting or by preventing yourself from sleeping on your back. You may also require special devices or surgery to rectify the obstruction.

Restless leg syndrome (RLS), a familial disorder stimulating unpleasant prickling, tingling, or crawling sensations in the feet and legs and a desire to move them if you want relief, is emerging as one of the more common sleep disorders, especially in older people.

Affecting as many as 12 million adults in America, restless leg syndrome leads to unremitting movement of the legs during the day and insomnia at night.

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

It is figured that more than 35 million individuals in the US have a case of chronic insomnia (a difficulty in sleeping each night or virtually all nights for a period of more than six months), with a further 20 to 30 million adults suffering shorter-term insomnia (a difficulty in sleeping well for between one and six months). Additionally, many individuals suffer from insomnia over shorter periods (under 4 weeks) and this is usually called transient insomnia.

Transient insomnia is commonly brought on by excitement (a child anticipating his birthday) or by stress (worrying about an important meeting). It also often results from air travel (jet lag) and can be seen in individuals who take exercise late in the day, shortly before going to bed. It is also often connected to illness (colds/flu) and with various over-the-counter medications (for example, some medicines purchased for asthma or a cold).

Both sexes and all ages suffer from insomnia, but it is more commonly seen in women and in the elderly, especially after the menopause.

Insomnia can be separated into three classes:

• "Initial" insomnia: in which you display difficulty in falling asleep, usually taking 30 minutes or more to fall asleep.



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



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

Insomnia can sometimes be only the symptom of an underlying medical conditions which could require a visit to the doctor's surgery and medical care. Here it is a case of treating the underlying medical problem, rather than the insomnia.

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

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