diabetes and sleep disorders

sleep disorders

A recent poll carried out for the National Sleep Foundation found that:

• 75% of adults questioned said that they have frequent sleep problems.



• As little as 1 out of 2 of adults questioned said that they normally slept quite well.



• 25% of adults questioned said that sleeping difficulties had an impact upon 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 having an accident or near-accident as a result of tiredness or falling asleep while driving.)



• People questioned cited sleep-related problems as the most usual reason for being late for work. Almost 30% of working adults reported missing work, events/activities or making mistakes at work because of sleep-related issues in the preceding three months.



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



• 25% of individuals polled 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. A large number of couples sleep separately because of sleeping problems.

A large number of us suffer from the odd sleepless night without any consequences. Once, however, the odd night now and again becomes a pattern of several nights in a row, you are facing a sleeping problem.

Narcolepsy affects close to 250,000 Americans. Individuals with narcolepsy have frequent "sleep attacks" during the day, even if they experience a normal amount of night-time sleep. These "sleep attacks" can last anything from several seconds to over half an hour.

People with narcolepsy might also experience cataplexy (loss of muscle control during emotional situations), hallucinations, temporary paralysis when they wake up, and disrupted night-time sleep. These symptoms are features of Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep which appear during waking, which suggests that narcolepsy is a sleep regulation disorder.

The symptoms of narcolepsy normally appear in adolescence, though it typically takes years to obtain a correct diagnosis.

The disorder (or at least a predisposition for it) is typically hereditary, but it is now and then linked to brain damage from a head injury or to neurological disease.

Once it has been diagnosed, stimulants, antidepressants, or other drugs can be used to control the symptoms and prevent the dangerous and embarrassing effects of falling asleep at improper times. Naps at certain times of the day can also reduce the excessive sleepiness during the day.

Jet lag is an extremely common sleep disorder endured by millions of travelers daily. It affects both individuals traveling on business and for pleasure and, according to 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, although it varies widely from one person to another, it tends to increase in severity the older you are.

What is more, if you already have sleeping problems, you could 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 time difference between your point of departure and your destination is simply 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 start to appear and its effects will become increasingly pronounced the greater the time difference.

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

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

Affecting as many as 12 million Americans, RLS leads to constant leg movement during the day and to insomnia at night.

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

Sleep apnea is one of the most common and most dangerous sleep disorders. Roughly 18 million adults in the USA suffer from this condition, that is characterised by recurring episodes in which you cease breathing while sleeping. In time this can cause cardiac disease, high blood pressure, and disordered thinking.

Typically connected with increasing age, 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 during sleep.

This form of the condition, named obstructive sleep apnea, is typically associated with loud snoring (though not everybody who snores suffers from this condition). Sleep apnea can also occur if the neurons responsible for the control of breathing do not function correctly during sleep.

During an episode of obstructive sleep apnea, attempts to inhale air will create suction that causes the collapse the windpipe. This obstructs the air flow for anything from about ten seconds up to a minute while you struggle to breathe. When the level of oxygen in your blood falls, the brain responds by waking you sufficiently to tighten the upper airway muscles and open the windpipe. You may gasp or snort, then start breathing again. This cycle may be repeated hundreds of times a night.

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

If you are suffering from from severe, untreated sleep apnea you are also two to three times more likely to have automobile accidents than the general population.

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

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