What Are Sleep
Disorders?
These
conditions affect how much and how well you sleep. Causes range from poor
habits that keep you awake to medical problems that disrupt your sleep cycle.
If you don't feel rested in the mornings, see your doctor. Not getting enough
shuteye is a serious problem that can threaten your health and safety.
The Dangers of Not
Getting Enough ZZZs
Lack of
sleep can take a toll on nearly every part of your life. Research links sleep
deprivation to car accidents, relationship troubles, poor job performance,
job-related injuries, memory problems, and mood disorders. Recent studies also
suggest sleep disorders may contribute to heart disease, obesity, and diabetes.
Symptoms of a Sleep
Disorder
Symptoms
depend on the type you have, but you might:
·
Feel very sleepy during the day
·
Have trouble falling or staying asleep
·
Snore
·
Stop breathing briefly and often while
asleep (apnea)
·
Have uncomfortable feelings in your legs
and the urge to move them (restless legs syndrome)
The Sleep Cycle
There
are two forms of sleep: REM and NREM. You dream during REM (rapid eye
movement). It takes up 25% of your slumber, stretching into longer periods in
the morning. The rest is spent in NREM, which has four stages from light (1) to
deep (4). Sleep disorders mess with your normal cycle and keep you from getting
a good night’s rest.
How Much Shuteye Do
You Need?
It
varies from person to person, but general guidelines are:
·
12-15 hours for infants
·
11-14 hours for toddlers (ages 1-3)
·
10-13 hours for preschoolers (ages 3-5)
·
9-11 hours for schoolchildren (ages 6-13)
·
8-10 hours for teens (ages 14-17)
·
7-8 hours for adults
Keep in
mind that some adults do fine with 5 hours, while others need as many as 10.
Insomnia
It’s
normal to have trouble sleeping once in a while, but when the problem lingers
night after night, you have insomnia. Do you lie awake for hours? Do you wake
up too early and not able to drift off again? Do you wake up repeatedly
throughout the night? Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder in the U.S.,
affecting a third of adults at some point in their lives
Poor Sleep Hygiene
In many
cases, insomnia is related to bad habits before bed. Do you drink coffee in the
afternoon or evening? Do you smoke or eat heavy foods at night? Do you go to
bed at a different time each night? Do you fall asleep with the television on?
Mental Health
Mental
health problems such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder
can also cause insomnia. Unfortunately, some of the medications used to treat
these conditions can also cause sleep problems. If you think you’re losing ZZZs
and your medication is to blame, talk to your doctor about adjusting your
treatment.
Related Medical
Conditions
Trouble
sleeping is often linked to health problems such as:
·
Arthritis
·
Heartburn
·
Chronic pain
·
Asthma
·
COPD
·
Heart failure
·
Thyroid problems
·
Neurological disorders such as stroke,
Alzheimer's, or Parkinson's
Other Causes of
Sleep Trouble
Pregnancy
is another reason for insomnia, especially in the first and third trimesters.
Menopause is, too, as hot flashes are uncomfortable. Both men and women tend to
have sleep problems after age 65. And shift workers and frequent flyers can get
a circadian rhythm disorder. This means their “internal body clock” is out of
whack
Sleep Apnea
This
means your breathing stops and starts over and over while you’re sleeping. The
pauses last several seconds and trigger a switch from deep to light sleep.
Apnea can make you very sleepy during the day. You might not even know you have
it. But your spouse or partner can certainly tell you about your snores,
snorts, and gasps.
Who Gets Sleep
Apnea?
It’s
most common in overweight men over age 65. Hispanics, African-Americans, and
Pacific Islanders also have a higher chance of getting it. Young children with
enlarged tonsils can also have it.
Restless Legs
Syndrome
Do you
have an irresistible urge to move your legs? Do you have uncomfortable feelings
in them, like a throb or tingle? Many describe it as pins and needles or a
creepy-crawly sensation. It gets worse at night, which makes it tough to catch
some winks. And you might have twitches that wake you up.
Narcolepsy
Do you
find it hard to get through the day without naps, even after a good night’s
rest? With narcolepsy, you can't control
it and suddenly fall asleep, experiencing a "sleep attack." Other
warning signs include:
·
Loss of muscle control with strong
emotions
·
Dream-like hallucinations as you fall
asleep or wake up
·
Dreams during naps
When
you wake up, you might also feel like you can’t move. These things happen
because you enter REM sleep so fast and skip the normal NREM stages.
Sleepwalking
Do you
get out of bed and wander around at night without knowing it? Do people tell
you the next morning about your crazy adventures, things you don’t remember?
Sleepwalking happens when you’re moving from a deep stage to a lighter one.
It’s most common in children between the ages of 4 and 8, but it can happen to
anyone.
Sleep Diary
If you
think you have a sleep disorder, tell your doctor. He might ask you to write
down your habits for a week or two. Include:
·
What time you got in and out of bed
·
How long and how well you slept
·
The amount of time you laid awake
·
What you ate/drank (especially caffeine and
alcohol) and when
·
Your emotions and stress level
·
A list of drugs you take
How to Get a
Diagnosis
Once
your doctor looks at your habits and your health, he might refer you to a sleep
clinic for testing. A sleep study, or polysomnogram, records your brain
activity, eye movements, and breathing. These patterns can point to 85
different possibilities, from night terrors to shift work sleep disorder
Treatment
For
sleep apnea, a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine keeps airways
open so you can rest soundly. You can treat narcolepsy and restless legs
syndrome with lifestyle changes and prescription medication. And there are
drugs for insomnia, although good sleep habits can work just as well
Therapy
Anxiety
makes insomnia worse, but cognitive-behavioral therapy can help ease your
worries. Relaxation training and biofeedback calm your breathing, heart rate,
muscles, and mood. Talk therapy can also quiet your mind.
Exercise
You can
do several things to prep for bedtime, and a regular workout should be a part
of your plan. It’s easier to fall and stay asleep when your body’s tired.
Exercise in the late afternoon though. Working up a sweat just hours before
bedtime can have the opposite effect and keep you up.
Avoid Problem Foods
Some
foods and drinks can be the stuff of nightmares. Avoid these 4-6 hours before
bed:
·
Caffeine, including coffee, tea, and soda
·
Heavy or spicy foods
·
Alcohol (it helps some people fall asleep,
but it can also make them wake up over and over again)
Helpful Foods
Try a
light evening snack that’s high in carbs and easy to digest. A small bowl of
cereal with milk or a small muffin fit the bill, but eat them at least an hour
before calling it a day. Warm milk and chamomile tea raise your body
temperature and can make you sleepy, too.
Turn Off the Tube
Is
late-night TV part of your routine? Sure, it’s entertaining, but it also keeps
you awake and alert. Playing video games and surfing the Internet can have the
same effect. The National Sleep Foundation suggests that you remove televisions
and computers from your bedroom.
Bedtime Rituals
Tell
your mind and body that it's time to catch some ZZZs with a bedtime ritual.
This can include a warm bath, a book, or relaxation techniques such as deep
breathing. It's also important to go to bed and wake up at the same time every
day, even on the weekends. If you still have trouble sleeping, talk to your
doctor.
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