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Common sleep disorders

Common sleep disorders. Insomnia, Narcolepsy, Sleep Apnea , Sleep Walking & Talking, Night Terrors and Nightmares. Insomnia. Refers to chronic difficulty in falling and staying asleep – not an occasional inability to sleep when anxious or excited.

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Common sleep disorders

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  1. Common sleep disorders Insomnia, Narcolepsy, Sleep Apnea, Sleep Walking & Talking, Night Terrors and Nightmares

  2. Insomnia • Refers to chronic difficulty in falling and staying asleep – not an occasional inability to sleep when anxious or excited. • The most common sleep disorder – experienced by 10-15% of adults. • Causes: genetics, medical conditions, mental disorders (anxiety and depression), drugs, general worrying, stress at home/work/school, poor lifestyle choices, circadian disruptions (jet lag and shiftwork).

  3. Treatment: most common quick fixes are sleeping pills and alcohol but these can aggravate the problem by reducing REM sleep; natural alternatives are recommended. • Relax before bedtime • Avoid caffeine and rich foods in the evening • Sleep on a regular schedule and avoid naps • Exercise regularly but not in the late evening

  4. Narcolepsy • Refers to the inability to stay awake – sufferers experience periodic, overwhelming daytime sleepinessand sudden, uncontrollable sleep attacks. • Sleep attacks can occur at any time and usually last less than 5 minutes but could last as long as an hour (not very common). • Affects less than 1% of the population. • When a sleep attack occurs, narcoleptics may go right into REM sleep or experience cataplexy.

  5. Causes: genetics, unknown environmental factors. • Treatments: stimulant drugs (reduces daytime sleepiness), antidepressant drugs (suppressed REM sleep), daytime naps.

  6. Sleep Apnea • Refers to temporary cessations in breathing during sleep with consequent momentary reawakenings. • Stoppages usually last 20-40 seconds but can last up to a 1-2 minutes; occur 400-500 times a night. • Most commonly caused by an obstruction in the upper airways. The chest and abdomen keep moving, but no air gets through to the lungs. Finally, reflexes kick in and the person gasps or produces a loud snore-like noise.

  7. Affects 1-5% of the population – most common in overweight men. • Treatment: surgery to remove the obstruction blocking the airways, the sufferer may sleep with a mask that continuously pumps air, keeping the air passages open. • Sleep apnea can lead to other conditions and risks such as hypertension, excessive daytime sleepiness, and increased automobile accidents.

  8. Sleep Walking & Sleep Talking • Sleep Walking • Occurs during Stage 3 or 4 NREM sleep • Sleepwalkers often have blank stares, are unresponsive to people, but seem vaguely conscious of their environment • Sleepwalkers often return to bed and awake in the morning with no recollection of the event • About 10-30% of children sleepwalk at least once, but less then 5% of adults • A tendency to sleepwalk may be inherited; other causes include stress, alcohol, certain illnesses and medications • Treatments include psychotherapy, hypnosis, drugs, and waking individuals before they typically sleepwalk • Most common treatment is to wait for children to grow out of it while creating a safe home environment so that they don’t get injured

  9. Sleep Talking • Sleep talking may occur in any stage of NREM sleep or REM sleep – may be linked to dreaming • Very common but harmless sleep disorder that can affect anyone – about 50% of children and 5% of adults • Often the subject matter being talked about tends to be harmlessand may make no sense at all; at other times, the content may be vulgar or offensive to a listener (may be linked to a more severe sleep disorder). • Talking can occur many times through the night and might be quite loud. • Sufferer is seldom aware of their talking

  10. Nightmares & Night Terrors • Night Terrors • Like sleepwalking, most common in children (6% of children but only 1-2% of adults) • Are more intense than nightmares • Occur during the first few hours of Stage 3 and 4 NREM sleep • The person may sit up or walk around, scream, talk incoherently, experience a doubling of heart and breathing rates, and appear terrified • Sufferer seldom wakes up fully during an episode and recalls little or nothing in the morning • Treatment is to simply wait for the night terrors to diminish with age

  11. Nightmares • Are frightening dreams that virtually everyone experiences • Occur most often during REM sleep and in the hours before we wake up

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