Sleep Tight And Don 't Let The Disorders Bite

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,

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,

Studies have shown that daytime drowsiness, reduced alertness, and diminished intellectual performance is the result of poor sleep quality and shortened duration of sleep (Badran, Yassin, Fox, Laher, & Ayas, 2015). Moreover, it has been documented that disturbances in sleep and shortened duration of sleep can have negative effects on quality of life (Badran et al., 2015; CDC, 2013). Furthermore, without exception, sleep is vital for the brain and body to relax and repair itself for the purpose of functioning adequately (Jackson, Redline, & Emmons, 2015). Several epidemiologic research studies have linked untreated sleep-disordered breathing to several negative health and safety repercussions, including the increase threat of diabetes, depression,

Not many courses introduce the idea of sleep, so it had only been a side interest. I was unaware of the seriousness of the problem and only wanted to understand sleep disorders because I’ve dealt with insomnia myself. Not until college did it occur to me that sleep was serious enough that studying sleep was a profession. However, school has only taught me the minimal basics of sleep. I wanted to understand the mechanism, the consequences, and the treatments for sleep. Unable to get a better idea of sleep, I aimed to learn more about sleep research. Eventually through graduate research, I would like to focus on understanding sleep and its application in improving health.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, 45% of Americans report that poor or insufficient sleep, at least one day each week or more, affects their day-to-day lives. Poor sleep not only makes us feel tired and sluggish, it can also affect our mood, relationships, health, and even our job performance. If that wasn’t enough, your personal risk of injury and accidents – at home, on the road, and at work – sharply increases with poor sleep patterns. It’s easy to see how lack of good sleep is quickly becoming a true health crisis in America.

Sleep is essential to life, and it is estimated that humans spend one third of their lifetime sleeping 1. An estimated 50-70 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders, yet only 20% report it to their physicians. Poor sleep may be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and has serious biological consequences 2. A growing body of literature suggests a relationship between sleep parameters (sleep duration and sleep quality) and morbidity & mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD), stroke, and all-cause mortality 3-8. A recent review summarized 23 studies and

"Sleep disorders appear to be a global epidemic, affecting up to 45% of the world's population" (Noor, et al n.p.). That’s leaving a 55% chunk of the world’s population not affected. More than 70 million people in our nation experience sleep disorders, most of whom are unaware of the impact on their daily life (Wells,Vaughn 234). Due to a large portion of people being unaware of sleep disorders’ impaction, the number continuously increases. Major sleep disorders are known to be Rapid Eye Movement(REM), Insomnia, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea(OSA). Over 80 medically recognized sleep disorders exist with insomnia, sleep apnea, snoring, jet lag, shift work, sleepwalking and restless legs syndrome being some of the most common (Wells, Vaughn

The individuals suffering from these disorders usually present with sleep/wake complaints of dissatisfaction regarding the quality, timing and amount of their sleep. These disorders habitually result in daytime distress and impairments, which are the core features, shared by all of these sleep

I have fallen asleep every night for the last 22 years, but yet I never analyzed my own sleep pattern. Never truly aware of what time I fell asleep, whether I dreamt every night, or the quality of my sleep. All I knew was that the older I got, the more lethargic I got, and the more caffeine I consumed. Now given the opportunity to monitor my sleep for five nights with the use of a sleep diary I have better knowledge of my sleep patterns. Basing my sleep patterns on concepts learned in class, I was able to understand my sleep, and apply different issues I experienced each night to the resolutions I learned. Hopefully, after my sleep diary I will know how to improve my quality of sleep on a regular basis based on concepts learned in class.

This paper will cover the scientific study of sleep and variables which impact sleep by examining the five different stages of sleep, evaluating dreams and nightmares, assessing the causes and effects of sleep disorders and the various types of treatments, in addition to the effects of food and drugs on sleep.

Sleep. How much is too little? How much is too much? Does it matter when one sleeps? Without the crucial state of rest for both the mind and the body, known as sleep, human beings would be unable to perform everyday skills needed to thrive, such as eating, critical thinking, and performing tasks effectively. If one’s sleeping patterns are disturbed on a regular basis, then that person quite possibly might have a sleep disorder. The topic of sleep disorders is complex and extensive due to the fact that various types are recognized and diagnosed. A few of the wide range of sleep disorders include: sleep apnea, night terrors, Restless Leg Syndrome, narcolepsy, excessive snoring, insomnia, and many more. Each type of sleep disorder can affect individuals in its own specific way. Sleep disorders are quite intriguing simply because, no matter the type, two patients might display the same sleep disorder but exhibit differing symptoms. Two common sleep disorders that affect sleep are obstructive sleep apnea and narcolepsy. When one experiences obstructive sleep apnea, the blockage of one’s airway, and narcolepsy, the overwhelming urge to sleep during the day, an individual can be affected both physically and emotionally.

Sleep is as essential to the human body as food and water are, but sometimes sleep quality and quantity is inadequate, which is known as sleep deprivation. Sleep deprived people are sleepy and fatigued, making them prone to causing accidents, impairing their judgement, and they are more likely to make mistakes and bad decisions. Not sleeping for 24 hours reduces hand-to-eye coordination, which can be compared to having a blood alcohol content of 0.1 and contributes to road accidents and work injuries. A child’s school performance is negatively affected by the lack of sleep and may cause emotional problems such as depression. Sleep deprived adults suffer from lack concentration, irritability, sleep inertia and a grogginess that lasts all day long as they are constantly yawning and dozing off. 1 All these problems come from not obtaining an adequate amount of sleep hours. There are methods and medications that can help prevent sleep deprivation as well as methods and techniques that utilize sleep deprivation as a tool.

According to the American Sleep Association, 50-70 million adults in the United States are diagnosed with a sleep disorder. This figure represents an expansive portion of the population, and does not even account for the people who simply do not get enough sleep at night. It is recommended that most people get at least eight hours of sleep per night (American Sleep Association). Nearly everyone can think of a time where they could not sleep, woke up feeling tired, or even started falling asleep while driving. This feeling of not having enough quality sleep is not only an inconvenience, but is extremely bad for your health and well-being. As described by National Geographic in their article “The State of Sleep Deprivation in America,” effects of not getting quality sleep include weight gain, heart disease, and even premature death since the body needs sleep in order to function. These negative consequences are common health problems among Americans today, and can be traced back to sleeping habits (Kiger). In addition, America as a whole is a hub for caffeine and technology, two things that can create negative sleep hygiene, or the behaviors of someone before going to sleep. We can learn from the examples of other countries’ sleeping habits, and by changing the sleep hygiene of Americans, better sleep will be promoted and the issues that result from not sleeping will be resolved. If nothing is done about this problem the matters of obesity, sleep disorders, and premature death

Sleep is one of the most important and essential parts of life. Learning why people need sleep can help individuals to understand the benefits of sleep, the effects that come from not getting enough sleep and why one needs to manage one 's sleep. These three aspects of sleep can help one to get the adequate amount of sleep needed each night. “The National Sleep Foundation says that an individual spends one-third of one’s life asleep, and the overall state of one’s sleep health remains an essential question throughout our lifespan”(n.p.). This is a big majority of one’s life spent sleeping and individuals need to know how to sleep correctly so that this time is not wasted. There are many aspects that can affect the way one sleeps which in

“The average person spends one-third of their life asleep.”(Edelson, 1992) Everyone needs sleep to perform tasks in their life like picking their nephew up from daycare, spending time with your family, or even going to school. Sleep is a critical part of living a healthy lifestyle, but what if this time in our life is robbed from us? What if this important factor of life is taken from us by a disorder? In the U.S., one in eight people have a sleep disorder of some kind.( U.S. Census Bureau, 2014)Then you might ask yourself, what is a sleep disorder and what are the different treatments you can do to improve your condition?