deep sleep disorder

sleep disorders

Evidence from a recent National Sleep Foundation polls shows that:

• 75% of adults stated that they have frequent sleeping difficulties.



• Only 1 out of 2 of adults stated that they normally slept quite well.



• 1 out of 4 of adults stated that sleeping difficulties affected their daily lives.

The poll also revealed that:

• 60% of motorists questioned reported driving while drowsy in the previous twelve months. (4 % reported that they had had an accident or near-accident through tiredness or having fallen asleep while they were driving.)



• Those polled referenced sleep-related issues as the commonest reason for being late for work. Almost two thirds of working adults reported missing work, events/activities or making mistakes at work through sleep-related problems in the preceding 3 months.



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



• 1 out of 4 of those polled with partners report difficulties in their sexual relationship as a result of tiredness. They enjoy sex less often or lose interest in sex through tiredness. Numerous couples sleep separately because of sleeping problems.

Many people suffer from the occasional sleepless night without any consequences. When, however, the odd night here and there turns into a pattern of several nights in a row, you are facing a sleeping problem.

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

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

Following the pattern of night and day (darkness and light) the internal clock tracks a pattern of about 24 hours thus 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).

If you circadian rhythm is upset as a result of shift work, you may suffer from temporary sleep disorders such as excessive daytime sleepiness or transient insomnia. Left untreated, transient sleep problems linked to a change in your work schedule might become chronic and in serious cases may even demand medical intervention.

Working shifts also places you at greater risk of chronic cardiovascular and gastrointestinal problems. Heartburn, indigestion, flu, high blood pressure, menstrual irregularities, colds and weight gain are all seen more amongst shift workers.

Sleep apnea is one of the most common and most dangerous sleep disorders. In the region of 18 million individuals in the United States suffer from this condition, that is marked by repeating episodes in which you stop breathing during sleep. Over a period of time this can result in disordered thinking, high blood pressure, and cardiac disease.

Commonly linked with increasing age, sleep apnea can occur in association with fat buildup or loss of muscle tone. These changes allow a collapse in the windpipe while breathing Whenever muscles relax in the course of sleep.

This form of the condition, called obstructive sleep apnea, is generally connected to loud snoring (though not everyone who snores has this condition). Sleep apnea might also occur if the neurons responsible for controlling breathing malfunction during sleep.

During an episode of obstructive sleep apnea, your effort to inhale air will create suction that causes the collapse the windpipe. This blocks the air flow for 10 seconds to a minute while you struggle to breathe. When the level of oxygen in your blood falls, the brain responds by waking you enough 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 tired and could result in changes in personality like irritability or depression. Sleep apnea also leaves you short of oxygen, which can lead to a loss of interest in sex, morning headaches, or a decline in mental functioning. High blood pressure, an irregular heartbeat, and a heightened risk of heart attacks and stroke also Often arise in cases of sleep apnea.

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

Mild sleep apnea can sometimes be overcome through weight loss or by preventing yourself from sleeping on your back. You may need a special device or surgery to correct the obstruction.

Simply put, jet lag is an extremely common sleep disorder suffered by many millions of travelers each day. It affects both those people traveling on holiday and on business and, in a recent survey of international business travelers, 74% of those questioned said that they often suffered from jet lag.

Jet lag affects people of all ages and, in spite of the fact that it varies widely from individual to individual, it tends to be more severe the older you get.

Furthermore, if you already have difficulty sleeping, you might well find that jet lag is more of a problem.

Jet lag also increases as you cross an increasing number of time zones. If the difference in time between your departure point and your destination is merely an hour or two, then you're unlikely to experience jet lag at all. However, if the time difference is three hours or more then jet lag will start to appear and its effects will be more pronounced the larger the time difference.

Finally, the symptoms of jet lag do not always appear straight away and, for some people, it might well be two or three days before it hits.

Restless leg syndrome (RLS), a familial disorder inducing unpleasant crawling, tingling, or prickling sensations in the legs and feet and an urge to move them for relief, is emerging as one of the more common sleep disorders, especially among older people.

Affecting as many as 12 million adults in America, restless leg syndrome leads to constant leg movement during the day and to sleeplessness at night.

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

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