Sleep Deprivation, Nightmares, And Sleepwalking

No one knows exactly what parasomnias are, and unfortunately, no one knows exactly what causes them, either. In one study I read, it was suggested that these occurrences are related to a delayed maturation of the central nervous system (Fleiss 30). This was the only reading that I saw this in. However, it has been discovered that parasomnias have a genetic link – they run in families. For example, if your child has night terrors, it is very likely that someone else in your family had either night terrors or some other form of parasomnia (confusional arousals, sleepwalking or sleep talking) (Mindell 263). Also, they appear to be developmental, with children seeming to experience them at certain ages. There are other possible contributing factors as well, which I will list here:

Sleep disorders alter ones sleep pattern and often results in the inability to either sleep or sleep soundly. They often cause you to feel restless, tired, fatigued, and irritable. It is estimated that nearly 75 percent of adult Americans experience sleep disorder symptoms at least a few nights per week. At the same time, sleep disturbances in some form are seen in as many as 25 to 30 percent of infants and children (“Sleep Disorders” 2013). Clearly a huge conundrum in the world, sleep disorders affect an inordinate amount of people. Millions of people suffer or have suffered from a sleep disorder at one point in their lives and if mistreated can impact organ systems functioning negatively. Physical disturbances, medical issues,

Also known as night terrors, these episodes are often paired with other prarsomnias, such as sleepwalking. A Parasomnia is an undesired occurrence during sleep, such as sleep talking, sleep walking, and night terrors. During these sleep terror episodes, an individual might kick and thrash around while still unconscious, stare wide eyed, scream or shout, and so on. Night terrors are said to be able to occur for a period of up to 30 minutes, once about that much time has passed, the person will once again lye down and go to sleep. Once the next day comes around the corner, usually the child or adult will not have any recollection of the event, but they at times remember small fragments of the

Obstructive sleep apnea has become an increasingly big problem in the United States. It is also apparent that obesity is also one of the biggest epidemics in our country as well. There is no question that both obesity and having obstructive sleep apnea go hand in hand for several reasons. I will go into some detail as to why these two go hand in hand, how young kids are now having issues with these two things, and what we as a society can do about it.

Sleep Apnea is a chronic sleep disorder causing shallow, infrequent or pauses in breathing. According to the National Sleep Foundation, sleep apnea affects more than 18 million Americans and is as common as type two diabetes. Common in both children and adults, there are three main types of sleep apnea. The first is central apnea, followed by the most common form, obstructive apnea and finally the combination of both, mixed/ complex apnea. Although these three types of apnea have differing symptoms and treatments, they all share negative effects on the body and sleep cycles. The quality of sleep is usually lower than normal, as the pauses in breathing can often bring apnea patients from a deep to a shallow slumber, as the body’s natural warning for oxygen. This lack of deep sleep can also cause drowsiness and fatigue during the daytime in addition to eyesight problems and reduced reaction times. Sleep apnea, occurring in both children and adults is higher in prevalence in Hispanic and African-American men.

Universal to every human from birth to death, sleep is a necessary function to survival, productivity, and happiness. While most fall asleep at night with ease, it is estimated that 50-70 million Americans battle sleep or wakefulness disorders. Although sleep disorders do not immediately present with a threat comparable to other common disorders such as depression, bipolar, or schizophrenia, sleep disorders prove very disruptive to one’s quality of life. Insufficient sleep may result in difficulty concentrating, difficulty with memory, trouble with personal care such as hygiene, driving, or managing finances, and poor performance in the workplace. While there is a wide array of sleep related illnesses that may plague any given individual,

The intention of this paper is to describe the epidemiology and risk factors of the most common respiratory sleep disorder, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and to examine the link between OSA and the array of negative health issues, concentrating on the cardiovascular evidence.

Sleep apnea is a life-threatening condition, which is the collapse of the throat and block the airway. Also known as obstructive sleep apnea – OSA, it is associated with obesity, and one of the major risk for heart disease. According to Dr. O’Neil in an OSA the upper airway closes off because the muscles that hold it open lose tone. Therefore, each time the airway closes, there is a pause in breathing. The sleep deprivation worseness obesity as well as causes a severe fatigue during the day. In addition, sleep apnea increase risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke (American Heart Association, 2015).

Night terrors are a form of a sleep disorder in which a person experiences episodes of screaming and intense fear while partially still asleep. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Sleep terrors affect almost 40

If you have ever been awakened by someone screaming in panic, heavily sweating, and tossing around in their sleep, you have most likely experienced someone having night terrors. Night terrors is defined as a sleep disorder associated with arousal of terror or dread (Healthline). Occasionally, night terrors can happen to adults, but they are most common in children ages 3-12 (WebMD). However, higher percentage of children do grow out of night terrors while entering the teenage years. Unlike a nightmare, victims of night terrors have no recollection of the episode.

Somnambulism, or sleepwalking, belongs to a group of parasomnias. This disorder of arousal is characterized by complex motor behaviors initiated during stages 3 and 4 of non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) sleep (slow-wave sleep) (3). Behaviors during sleepwalking episodes can vary greatly. Some episodes are limited to sitting up, fumbling and getting dressed, while others include more complex behaviors such as walking, driving a car, or preparing a meal (2). After awakening, the sleepwalker usually has no recollection of what has happened and may appear confused and disoriented. The behaviors performed while sleepwalking are said to be autonomous automatisms. These are nonrelfex actions performed without conscious volition and

Imagine waking up in the middle of the night unable to move or speak, to make it worse, imagine being visited by a witch,alien,or demon while that happens. This frightening phenomenon is called sleep paralysis which can last from one minute to an hour. Although it’s not common to experience sleep paralysis, it’s certainly not rare. In other words, it could happen only once, or a numerous amount of times throughout your life. After having a first-hand experience of this, I’ve researched the signs and symptoms, what it is and how it happens, and most importantly, how to prevent

Many people in today’s society and in past societies have experienced sleep paralysis. It can be seen in art, books, and even videos. People today tell their stories and how it feels to experience sleep paralysis in documentaries, but before any technology came out, people would describe their experiences in writing or drawings. Sleep paralysis is not dangerous, but it can be quite horrific. When one experiences sleep paralysis, they are unable to move any part of their body, the only body part one is able to move is their eyes, and during sleep paralysis, the person still continues to breath. Sleep paralysis is caused by the natural sleep cycle, which causes many people to have it, but ones with certain health problems have a higher chance

     Finally, sleep is lost and never will be regained. During the first year of a baby’s life, parents, especially mothers, lose 700 or more hours of sleep. That is a lot. No wonder parents look like a walking zombie. When babies do sleep through the night, parents still wake up to check on them to make sure that they are comfortable and everything is all right. Unfortunately, babies aren’t the only cause for loss of sleep. Teenagers are to. They go out and stay

Night terrors can also be classified as sleep terrors. It is a sleep disorder causing feelings of terror or dread, and typically occurs during the first hours of stage three-four rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. Sleep terrors usually begin in children between the ages of three and twelve, and usually stop during adolescence (Schacter). Night terrors are a relatively common occurrence that usually only appears in young children. A night terror will usually occur after the young child goes to bed. They can actually be hereditary. A new study that took place in Toronto explained that night terrors, in which children exhibit sudden bouts of extreme fear and screaming an hour or two after going to sleep, appear to have a strong hereditary component (ABSM).