health sleep disorders

sleep disorders

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

• Three quarters of adults polled stated that they often suffer from difficulties in sleeping.



• Only 50% of adults polled stated that they slept without difficulty on most nights.



• 25% of adults polled stated that sleep problems had an impact upon their daily lives.

The poll also demonstrated that:

• Just under two thirds of motorists polled reported driving while drowsy in the previous year. (4 % reported having an accident or near-accident as a result of tiredness or falling asleep while driving.)



• Those polled cited sleep-related issues as the most common reason for being late for work. Almost 1 in 3 of working adults reported missing work, events/activities or making errors at work because of sleep-related issues in the preceding 3 months.



• Three quarters of those polled reported a sleep problem with their partner - snoring being the commonest. Partnered adults, suffer doubly disruptive sleep problems, as one partner's sleep difficulty may cause the other to lose, on average, about an hour of sleep each night.



• 25% of those polled 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. Many couples sleep separately because of sleeping difficulties.

A significant number of people have the odd night of sleeplessness without any consequences. Once, however, the occasional night here and there becomes a pattern of several nights in a row, you face a sleeping problem.

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

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

Following the pattern of night and day (darkness and light) your internal clock tracks a pattern of roughly 24 hours thus giving your body a 24 hour rhythm or, more correctly, a circadian rhythm - from the Latin circa (about) dies (a day).

If disruption to the body's circadian rhythm occurs because 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 can become chronic and in serious cases may even demand medical intervention.

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

Jet lag is a very common sleep disorder endured by many millions of travelers every day. It affects both individuals traveling on business and on holiday and, in a recent survey of international business travelers, 3/4 of those questioned said that they frequently suffered from jet lag.

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

As well, if you are already experiencing sleeping problems, you are likely to 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 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 increasingly pronounced the greater the time difference.

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

Sleep apnea is one of the commonest and most dangerous sleep disorders. In the region of 18 million individuals in America suffer from sleep apnea, that is characterised by repeated episodes in which you cease breathing while sleeping. In time this can cause disordered thinking, high blood pressure, and cardiac disease.

Usually connected with aging, 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 normally associated with loud snoring (though not everyone 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, efforts to inhale air will create suction that results in the collapse the windpipe. This blocks the air flow for 10 seconds to a minute while you struggle to breathe. As your blood oxygen level falls, the brain reacts by waking you enough to tighten the muscles of the upper airway and open the windpipe. You may gasp or snort, then start breathing again. This cycle may be repeated hundreds of times a night.

The constant awakenings that you experience as a sleep apnea sufferer leave you feeling permanently fatigued and may well produce changes in personality such as 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 a heightened risk of stroke and heart attack also Commonly 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 frequently be overcome by dieting or by preventing yourself from sleeping on your back. You might also require special devices or surgery to clear the obstruction.

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

Affecting as many as 12 million adults in the USA, RLS leads to continual leg movement during the day and insomnia at night.

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

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