eds sleep disorder

sleep disorders

The publication of a recent National Sleep Foundation polls shows that:

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



• As little as 1 out of 2 of adults questioned stated that they usually slept reasonably well.



• A quarter of adults questioned stated that problems sleeping had an impact upon their daily lives.

The poll also demonstrated 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 having fallen asleep while driving.)



• Those polled named 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 mistakes at work through sleep-related problems in the preceding three months.



• Three quarters of people questioned 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, almost an hour of sleep a night.



• A quarter of people questioned with partners report difficulties in their sexual relationship as a result of tiredness. They enjoy sex less frequently or lose interest in sex as a result of tiredness. Numerous couples sleep apart because of a sleep problem.

Many of us experience the odd night of sleeplessness without any consequences. When, however, the odd night once in a while becomes a pattern of several nights in a row, you are looking at a sleeping problem.

Sleep apnea is one of the commonest and most dangerous types of sleep disorder. Approximately 18 million people in the USA suffer from this condition, which is marked by repeating episodes in which you stop breathing while sleeping. In time this can result in high blood pressure, cardiac disease, and disordered thinking.

Sometimes linked with aging, sleep apnea can occur together with fat buildup or loss of muscle tone. These changes allow a collapse in the windpipe while breathing As muscles relax in the course of sleep.

This form of the condition, referred to as obstructive sleep apnea, is usually linked to loud snoring (though not everybody who snores suffers from this condition). Sleep apnea might also occur if the neurons that control breathing do not function correctly during sleep.

During an episode of obstructive sleep apnea, your effort to inhale air will create suction that collapses 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 awakening you sufficiently to tighten the muscles of the upper airway and open the windpipe. You may gasp or snort, then resume breathing. 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 tired and could well cause changes in personality like irritability or depression. Sleep apnea also deprives you of oxygen, which may lead to morning headaches, a decline in mental functioning, or a loss of interest in sex. High blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, and an increased risk of heart attacks and stroke also Typically arise in cases of sleep apnea.

If you are suffering from 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 commonly be overcome by loosing weight or by preventing yourself from sleeping on your back. You may also require a special device or surgery to correct the obstruction.

Jet lag is a very common sleep disorder suffered by millions of travelers each day. It affects both individuals traveling on business and on holiday 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, in spite of the fact that it varies widely from person to person, it tends to become more severe the older you get.

Further, if you already have sleeping difficulties, you are likely to find that jet lag is more of a problem.

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

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

It is judged that over 35 million people in America have a case of chronic insomnia (difficulty sleeping each night or on the majority of nights for a period of more than six months), with a further 20 to 30 million suffering shorter-term insomnia (difficulty sleeping well for a period of a month to six months). Also, many individuals suffer from insomnia over shorter periods (less than 4 weeks) and this is ordinarily called transient insomnia.

Transient insomnia is typically brought on by excitement (a child looking forward to an outing) or by stress (worrying about an important meeting). It also often results from long distance 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 associated with illness (colds/flu) and with various over-the-counter medications (for example, some medicines purchased for a cold or asthma).

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

Insomnia can be split into three classes:

• "Initial" insomnia: where you show a difficulty in in falling asleep, invariably taking 30 minutes or longer to fall asleep.



• "Middle" insomnia: where, after falling asleep, you have difficulties maintaining a state of sleep and often remain awake until 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 often be quite simply the symptom of some underlying medical conditions which may require the advice of your doctor and medical care. Here it is a case of treating the cause, rather than the insomnia.

If, however, your sleeplessness 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 variety of choices for achieving healthy sleep without resorting to prescription drugs.

Restless leg syndrome (RLS), a familial disorder inducing unpleasant tingling, prickling, 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 among older people.

Affecting as many as 12 million people in the United States, restless leg syndrome leads to continual leg movement during the day and to sleeplessness at night.

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

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