incubus syndrome sleep disorders

sleep disorders

A recent poll conducted on behalf of the National Sleep Foundation found that:

• Three quarters of adults said that they often have difficulty sleeping.



• As little as 50% of adults said that they slept without a problem on the majority of nights.



• 1 out of 4 of adults said that problems sleeping affected their daily lives.

The poll also revealed that:

• 60% of adult motorists reported driving while drowsy in the past twelve months. (4 % reported having an accident or near-accident because of tiredness or falling asleep while they were 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 because of sleep-related issues in the past 3 months.



• Three quarters of people questioned reported a sleep problem with their partner - snoring being the commonest. Partnered adults, suffer doubly disruptive sleep problems, as one partner's sleep problem could cause the other to lose, on average, nearly an hour of sleep every night.



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

A significant number of us suffer from the occasional night of sleeplessness without any consequences. If, however, the odd night here and there becomes a pattern of several nights in a row, you are looking at a sleeping problem.

It is believed that over 35 million individuals in the USA have a case of chronic insomnia (a difficulty in sleeping every 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 a period of four weeks to six months). Additionally, many individuals suffer from insomnia over shorter periods (under 4 weeks) and this is typically referred to as transient insomnia.

Transient insomnia is commonly brought on by excitement (parents expecting a visit from a son or daughter after a long absense) or by stress (worry about making a speech). It also often results from long distance travel (jet lag) and can be seen in those who take exercise late in the day, shortly before going to bed. It is also often associated with illness (colds/flu) and with several over-the-counter medications (for example, some medicines bought for a cold or asthma).

Women and men of all ages suffer from insomnia, although it is more common in women and in the elderly, especially after the menopause.

Insomnia can be split into three categories:

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



• "Middle" insomnia: in which, after falling asleep, you have difficulty maintaining a state of sleep and usually stay awake until the early hours of the morning.



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

Insomnia can sometimes be quite simply the symptom of some underlying medical conditions that might well require the advice of your doctor 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 it difficult to settle into a sufficiently relaxed state for sleep, then there are a variety of choices for achieving healthy sleep without resorting to prescription drugs.

Sleep apnea is one of the most common and most dangerous types of sleep disorder. About 18 million individuals in America suffer from this condition, that is marked by repeated episodes in which you stop breathing during sleep. Over a period of time this can produce cardiac disease, high blood pressure, and disordered thinking.

Commonly 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 during sleep.

This form of the condition, known as obstructive sleep apnea, is often connected to loud snoring (though not everybody who snores suffers from this condition). Sleep apnea can also occur if the neurons that control 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. As the level of oxygen in your blood falls, the brain reacts by waking you sufficiently to tighten the muscles of the upper airway and open the windpipe. You may snort or gasp, then resume breathing. This cycle may be repeated hundreds of times a night.

The continual awakenings which you experience as a sleep apnea sufferer leave you feeling permanently fatigued and has the opportunity to cause personality changes like depression and irritability. Sleep apnea also leaves you short of oxygen, which could lead to a decline in mental functioning, a loss of interest in sex, or morning headaches. High blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, and an increased risk of heart attacks and stroke 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 be involved in an automoblie accident than the general population.

Mild sleep apnea can commonly be overcome through weight loss or by preventing yourself from sleeping on your back. You may also require special devices or surgery to sort out the obstruction.

Restless leg syndrome (RLS), a familial disorder stimulating unpleasant crawling, tingling, or prickling 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, particularly among the elderly.

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

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

Simply put, jet lag is a common sleep disorder experienced by many 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, 3/4 of those questioned said that they suffered frequently from jet lag.

Jet lag affects people of all ages and, although it varies widely from individual to individual, it tends to become more severe the older you get.

Furthermore, 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 a growing number of time zones. If the time difference between your departure point and your destination is merely 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 be more pronounced the larger the time difference.

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

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