Everything You Need to Know About Sleeping Disorders

A sleep disorder disrupts your overall quality of life. Sleep disorders do not discriminate, they can affect children, teenagers, adults or senior citizens. More than 70 million people in the U.S. have a sleep disorder and mot of them don't even know it. For those who are aware of their sleeping disorders, many never get the help that they need.

Sleep is the key to unlocking our health. Good sleep contributes to our health, safety and overall well-being.

The International Classification of Sleep Disorders has documented 81 official sleeping disorders. Among the more common sleep disorders: insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, jet lag, shift work, sleepwalking, sleep terrors and restless legs.

Why do we need sleep?

-Memory, Learning and Social Processes Sleep helps your brain to encode and store new information properly. REM sleep activates the parts of the brain that control learning. When you're asleep, the parts of the brain that control emotions, decision-making and social interactions slow down. This allows for optimal performance when you are awake.

-Nervous System Some experts believe that your nervous system repairs itself during sleep. When you experience sleep deprivation, your nervous system is unable to repair itself.

-Immune System Like your nervous system, sleep also keeps your immune system running smoothly. During deep sleep, your body's cells increase production while proteins break down at a slower rate. Without proper sleep, your immune system will become weak and your body becomes susceptible to infection and disease.

-Growth and Development Children need more sleep than adults. Growth hormones are released during sleep, so it's vital for physical and mental development.

There are several common ways to combat sleeplessness. MedGen's Good Night's Sleep is a fast acting sleep aid spray. The spray fornula allows for better absorption than sleeping pills taken just before bed.

Insomnia

There are four basic kinds of insomnia: difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, waking up too early, and poor quality sleep. Someone with insomnia may have the following symptoms: feeling tired and grumpy during the day, having trouble concentrating at work, and falling asleep during the day.

How is insomnia treated?

Many cases of insomnia can simply be solved by changes that you can make on your own. If you develop a pattern of healthy sleep, your insomnia problems could be solved.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive Sleep Apnea, OSA, is a sleep related breathing disorder. OSA causes your body to stop breathing during sleep. OSA occurs when the tissue in the back of your throat collapses and blocks your airway. This happens because the muscles in the back of your throat relax while you sleep, gravity will then make your tongue fall back and block your airway. OSA can affect men and women of any age. There is a strong relationship between weight and OSA.

How do you know if you have OSA?

Do you wake from sleep with a choking sound or gasping for breath? Almost all people who have OSA snore loudly, and half of those who snore loudly have OSA.

Treatment for OSA

OSA can be life threatening. It is important to see a sleep specialist immediately if you believe you may be suffering from OSA.

Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is a condition that causes excessive sleepiness. Narcoleptics can be refreshed by short naps, but after two or three hours they're sleepy again. People with narcolepsy can, at times, fall asleep suddenly. These "sleep attacks" can happen while eating, walking or driving.

Do you have narcolepsy?

About one out of every 2,000 people has narcolepsy. There is evidence that narcolepsy is tied to genetics, there is a greater chance that you will have narcolepsy if a relative also has it. Narcolepsy can last your entire life; it usually starts between the ages of 12 and 20. Narcolepsy symptoms do not improve without treatment.

Jet Lag

Also called the time zone change syndrome. Most of us have experienced this type of disorder, caused by air travel through many time zones.

Shift Work

Like jet lag, shift work affects your body clock. A change in work schedule that requires you to be awake during your normal sleep time can cause sleep disorders.

Sleepwalking

Sleepwalking happens when you get up from bed and walk around while still asleep. It can also involve a series of other complex actions among them, sitting up in bed, looking around in a confused manner, bolting from bed, and walking or running away. Sleepwalkers may talk or shout as they're walking, their eyes are usually open and glassy.

It is very difficult to wake a sleepwalker. When they do wake up, they will be very confused because they will have no memory of the event. Sleepwalkers may attack the person who wakes them. Sleepwalking is most common in children.

Treatment

Sleepwalking in children is pretty normal. There is usually no need for medical treatment, parents should simply keep a close eye on their children.