A sleepless night can leave you feeling bleary-eyed and tired, but most people quickly recover from a bout of insomnia. However, millions of people suffer from sleep disorders so persistent that their quality of life is compromised and various other medical disorders begin emerging. People who don’t get enough sleep can experience a multitude of physical and mental illnesses. In this article, we’ll talk about sleep disorders and how they can impact your life.

There are over one hundred different types of sleep problems that can be classified into four categories. Insomnia include difficulty falling and staying asleep. Narcolepsy and sleep apnea are examples of sleep disorders that prevent people from staying awake. People suffering from jet lag or those who have trouble sleeping because of shift work are having a disturbance in their sleep/wake cycle. People who experience sleepwalking or enuresis are experiencing sleep interruptions associated with behavioral problems. Any condition in which your sleep doesn’t follow the typical sleep phase cycle or doesn’t stay in each cycle for a sufficient period of time is a disruptive sleep disorder.

Those who have disrupted sleep tend to not experience “restorative sleep.” Sleep deprivation can make you irritable, tired, have less focus, a lower frustration level, and can lead to exhibiting behavior that’s more emotional and impulsive. One dangerous fact about sleeping disorders is that they weaken the immune system and make us more susceptible to other diseases like diabetes, cancer and even the common cold. It is not uncommon for people who suffer from sleep deprivation due to sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, narcolepsy and insomnia to also suffer from other problems including diabetes, asthma or a second sleep disorder.

Sleep disorders can affect anyone at any age. Even young children can suffer from sleep disorders such as night terrors, nightmares and bedwetting. Insomnia is especially common among the elderly. They also respond more quickly to disturbances such as noise, light and pain while they’re asleep. Studies about sleep disorders have shown that they seem to occur mostly in women, with over forty percent reporting that daytime sleepiness impacts their ability to function. The disorder seems to become even more complicated during pregnancy and menopause.

A restless night can result in more than just daytime sleepiness, so it’s crucial to seek medical attention if you aren’t sleeping for an extended period of time. Your doctor can provide a wealth of treatment options or refer you to organizations that know more about sleep disorders. No matter which course of treatment you choose, your quality of life will definitely improve once you start getting some quality shut eye.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 29th, 2008 at 12:55 pm and is filed under Fitness And Healthy Living. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.