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Turn Out The Lights On Sleep Disorders
By Linda A.
Some of us have no trouble falling asleep, taking as little as one to two
minutes to enter twilight zone sleep. As in the case for all human
functions, there is quite a bit of variation among us as to our capacity
to sleep. Some are simply better at it than others, being able to dim
their arousal switches with annoying ease and have their sleep center
dominate within minutes. The vast majority of us take sleep for granted.
It is just something that we do, like eating or taking a shower. But as we
have learned, getting a good night’s sleep is a problem of major
proportions for a substantial part of our population.
Optimal human health only exists if sleep is entirely healthy. More than
fifty percent of Americans suffer from one or more chronic sleep
disorders. “I am tired,” “I have fatigue,” “I have no energy,” “I am
exhausted” are all the phrases used by people to describe how they feel
when discussing a sleep problem with their doctor.
There are different types of sleep disorders:
* Sleep Apnea - Between 70-90 percent of those who suffer from it are men,
mostly middle-ages, and usually overweight. The vast majority snore
heavily. The problem is a neuromuscular one that results in partial
closing of an airway called the nasal pharynx while one sleeps. Apnea is
Greek in origin and that literally means “without breath.” It is estimated
that 30 million Americans snore, and of that, 2.5 million of them suffer
from sleep apnea. Those who suffer from sleep apnea actually stop
breathing as they sleep, perhaps as often as several hundred times per
night.
* Narcolepsy - It is a chronic neurological disorder caused by abnormal
brain chemistry, which leads to a perplexing constellation of symptoms
that may include on more of the following: severe sleepiness, vivid dream
imagery upon falling asleep or waking up (hypnagogic hallucinations),
waking up paralyzed (sleep paralysis), and sudden onset of temporary
muscle weakness (cataplexy). The most common symptom is falling asleep at
inappropriate times and places. Narcolepsy most often comes in the
mid-teenage years and affects women and men equally.
* Insomnia - Failure to get an entire night’s sleep on most nights. It
affects one out of ten Americans, which is about 40 million. Insomnia can
take the form of being unable to fall asleep when you first go to bed or
waking during the night and being unable to go back to sleep. While
insomnia can be very frustrating, it is hardly dangerous and is usually
only a temporary annoyance. Chronic insomnia is often a symptom of a
serious underlying medical disorder. Fifty percent of insomnia cases can
be attributed to depression and psychological disorders, such as anxiety,
stress, or grief.
* Restless Legs Syndrome - The onset of an attack usually accompanies
inactivity such as occurs on long drives, sitting fir an extended period,
and in sleep. Women are afflicted more often than men because of a
correlation with menses, pregnancy, and menopause. When restless legs
occur during sleep, it awakens its victim, causing insomnia. Suffers are
known as nightwalkers since they are aroused by their aching legs that
they walk the floor night after night, an activity that tends to relieve
the symptoms.
For each of us, every single day of our lives, the need for sleep is a
powerful biologic force. Every twenty-four hours or so, we simply must lie
down and rest for a period of time or we will be unable to continue to
function. This regular requirement for sleep is so pressing, so demanding
that, though it may be delayed or deferred, sleep cannot be denied
completely. We all spend one-third of our lives asleep, it is a basic
requirement of life. Sleep disorders mean poor sleep which limits the
ability to function and to enjoy life.
Optimal human health only exists if sleep is entirely healthy. More than
fifty percent of Americans suffer from one or more chronic sleep disorders
Sleep disorders mean poor sleep which limits the ability to function and
to enjoy life. There are different types of sleep disorders:
• Sleep Apnea,
• Narcolepsy,
• Insomnia and
• Restless Legs Syndrome.
Be sure and visit the informative site
http://www.better-sleep-resources.info/ you’ll sleep better if you do.
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