Sleeping Disorders

Sleeping Disorders


     I am going to start by telling you what a sleeping disorder is. A

sleeping disorder is a problem that affects something to do with sleep. Not all

sleeping disorders have symptoms that are obvious to a person or their family

and friends, here are some common sleep disorders.


-  Insomnia -  Sleep Apnea -  Narcolepsy -  Restless Leg Syndrome -  Parasomnia

-  Bruxism -  Jet Lag -  Shiftwork


     I will be discussing the sleeping disorders listed above and what

symptoms they can cause.


     Insomnia is a chronic sleeping disorder in which it is very difficult to

start and continue sleeping.  One of the other symptoms of insomnia that is most

recognized is waking up repeatedly in the middle of the night.  Lack of sleep

leads to two other things, daytime fatigue and restlessness.  These are bad on

the job and at school while doing tests or other important work.


     The amount of sleep that each person needs to feel alert during the day

varies.  If you have a night of sleep which is much less than the amount of

sleep you need, then you will more than likely feel quite sleepy the next day.

Thirty-three percent of adults in America have a case of insomnia at least once

in their life.  Most cases only last one or two nights, but insomnia can

continue for weeks  or possibly even months.


     There have only been three standard types of insomnia that have been

identified by doctors.  They are as follows:


-  Transient insomnia is considered a few sleepless nights that is usually

brought on by stress, excitement, or environmental changes.  A person could have

trouble sleeping the evening before a big meeting or shortly after a breakup or

a fight with his girlfriend. -  Short-term insomnia is usually two or three

weeks of poor sleep caused by continual stress at work or at home, as well as

medical and psychiatric illnesses.  Eliminating the source of the stress usually

takes care of the irregular sleep patterns -  Chronic insomnia is considered

poor sleep that lasts two weeks or longer.  It can possibly be related to

medical, behavioral, or psychiatric problems.  Usually poor sleep leads to

decreased feelings of well-being.  Chronic insomnia can usually recur.


     If difficulty sleeping was the only problem with insomnia, then it

wouldn't be so bad.  Some of the other problems it can cause is anxiety in

noticeably impaired concentration and memory.  To keep episodes of insomnia at a

minimum, sleep specialists recumbent practicing good sleep hygiene.


     There is another sleeping disorder called Sleep Apnea.  Sleep Apnea is

not really problems with going to sleep, it is more dealing with problems while

you are sleeping.  Some of the symptoms of sleep apnea include


- loud or irregular snoring - excessive daytime sleepiness - repeated nightly

arousals - non-refreshing sleep - morning headache - nightly periodic absent

breathing


     Loud snoring at night can be more than just a nuisance.  It can actually

signal to you that something could be wrong with breathing during sleep.   In

most cases, there are no serious medical consequences associated with snoring.

But for about 20 million Americans, this loud, habitual snoring can indicate a

life-threatening disorder know as sleep apnea.  An apnea is actually a lack of

breath.


     For most people during sleep, it is normal for the breathing muscles to

relax.  The problem is, for some people, excessive muscle relaxation occurs

which disrupts breathing.  Disordered breathing during sleep also can occur if

the brain stops sending the needed messages to the breathing muscles.  In either

case, the presence of apnea should be taken seriously.


     Sleep apnea is more common in middle-aged men and overweight people.

People with sleep apnea often complain of insomnia or excessive daytime

sleepiness.  Waking up with headaches is another symptom of sleep apnea. So is

impaired memory and concentration.  Problems  arising from sleep apnea can

include heart and lung disease, and can also cause heart failure in severe cases.


     There are three typical forms o
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