Sleep Disorders Articles

Cheat Sheet / Updated 08-27-2021

Sleep disorders plague many (if not most) people. Frequently, those with persistent sleeping problems are unwilling to admit that they are faced with a real health issue, but chronic sleep deprivation can open you up to a whole slew of physical ailments. While it is a fairly common tendency to overlook the need for a good night's rest, sleep is an essential part of maintaining your health. Here are some tips to help you determine if you may have a sleep disorder or to help you get more of that quality, necessary rest.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Almost anyone can suffer from an occasional bout of insomnia, but statistically speaking, certain groups come in for more than their share of problem sleep. Women, older people, and people suffering from depression have insomnia more frequently. The following sections explain why. Why women have insomnia more frequently than men Research shows that after a woman has a baby, she automatically develops a more acute sensitivity to the sounds her baby makes, enabling her to wake up quickly if she hears a disturbing noise such as a cough or a cry. Unfortunately, even long after their children are grown and have moved away, women retain this heightened sensitivity to nighttime noise. If you don't believe it, clinical studies have found that women who have never had children sleep better, even in their 50s and 60s, than women who had children. Add to this sensitivity the constant hormonal changes going on in a woman's body every month. Women who suffer from premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, may have a tough time sleeping when their bodies are awash in hormones. During her period, a woman's pain from menstrual cramps or lower back pain and breast tenderness may combine to make finding a comfortable sleep position difficult. Menopausal women may have a hard time sleeping as well because they sometimes have to contend with drenching nighttime sweats. The good news is that by the time women enter the post menopausal phase of life, when all the hot flashes and hormonal swings are finally over, men tend to catch up to them in terms of sleeplessness. In fact, post menopausal women who don't have insomnia usually sleep longer and better than men of the same age who don't have insomnia. Growing older with insomnia As people age, both the quality and quantity of their sleep tend to deteriorate. Researchers aren't quite sure why this happens, but they suspect age-related changes in sleep phases and patterns may be to blame. They do know that the amount of time spent in light sleep increases as people get older. The accumulation of various medical conditions may play a role, especially if they're associated with pain. An alternative explanation is that the biological sleep-wake control system centers become less effective through cell loss or transformation, just as an elderly person's memory and physical abilities decline. One study, which unfortunately only used men as subjects, showed subjects lose 80 percent of their deepest, most restorative sleep as they age from 16 to 50. (Now you know why your grandfather wakes up at 5:30 a.m.) Other studies have shown that after age 44, both REM sleep and the total number of hours of sleep decrease, while awakening during the night (usually to use the bathroom) increases. Yet another study indicated an overall weakening of the sleep-wake rhythm as people age. Some sleep medications aren't appropriate for older adults because they increase daytime sleepiness and the risk for falls and fractures, which is especially true if the drug is long-acting (meaning that it remains in the body and brain longer). Even though a person takes the medicine at bedtime, the medicine may still be affecting the person the next morning or afternoon. If an older person who takes one of these medications needs to use the toilet in the middle of the night, his or her coordination may be impaired, which can lead to falls. Ask your doctor for guidance in choosing an appropriate OTC or prescription sleep aid, depending on your own medical history. In addition, neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and some forms of dementia can cause sleep disruptions. Older people are also more likely to take a prescription drug or combination of drugs that may cause sleeplessness. They also experience a higher incidence of depression and other emotional problems that may contribute to insomnia. Just because you're growing older, you don't have to live with poor sleep. Consult your doctor. Many effective treatments are available that can help you get back to sleeping better and longer. According to the National Sleep Foundation's 2000 Sleep in America poll, a real disconnect exists between patients and their doctors concerning sleep problems, particularly insomnia. Although 62 percent of American adults reported they experience sleep problems at least a few nights a week, and 58 percent said they suffer from insomnia, physicians taking the same poll reported that only 16 percent of their patients suffer from a sleep disorder, and just 14 percent have insomnia. Physicians also said they don't consider the diagnosis and treatment of insomnia as an urgent health problem. Insomnia and depression Insomnia is so much a part of "the blues" that problems with sleep are actually described as one of the major identifying symptoms for diagnosing depression. In fact, more than 90 percent of all patients with depression report that they have difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or both. The problem is particularly severe for patients with recurring depression. Early identification and treatment of insomnia in a depressed patient is important. Proper treatment not only helps the insomnia, but resolving sleep problems also seems to help patients do a better job of sticking with their treatment plans. Alleviating insomnia also improves overall functioning and performance for depressed patients. Tell your doctor if you're depressed and having trouble sleeping. You should avoid certain popular antidepressants, including some of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). They stimulate serotonin receptors in the brain and change sleep patterns, producing insomnia. However, antidepressants like mirtazapine and nefazodone that block the stimulation of serotonin receptors actually help people with depression get to sleep more quickly, and sleep better and longer.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Improving the quality of your sleep is one area where you can definitely make a difference, reducing your tendency to get angry. Rather than continuing to be a victim of poor sleep begin practicing some good sleep hygiene. How exercise enhances your ability to sleep Regular physical exercise is an essential part of good sleep hygiene. But, the benefit of exercise on sleep only comes when you: Engage in moderate, nonstrenuous exercise. What you want to do is to tire the body out and relax it without overstimulating it at the same time. Any type of prolonged or intense exercise prior to going to bed will be counterproductive. Exercise in the late afternoon or early evening. The benefits of exercising early in the day are long since past by the time you’re ready for bed. You also don’t want to wait until the last minute — an hour or two before retiring — because of the overstimulation effect. Adjust your exercise to your age and overall fitness level. If you don’t, you’ll stress your body and produce a sense of physical restlessness, which will keep you awake. Why you should avoid stimulants to enhance sleep The two main stimulants that you should avoid four hours prior to sleep are caffeine and nicotine. Both activate your brain and promote alertness. Caffeine When it comes to caffeine use, there are several things you want to keep in mind: Caffeine is available in many forms. Just because you’re passing up coffee after dinner doesn’t mean that you’re not getting caffeine in the form of that triple-chocolate cake you had for dessert. The body can only handle about 300 mg of caffeine in a 24-hour period. Exceeding that amount isn’t difficult — one cup of regular coffee contains between 100 and 220 mg of caffeine! The time it takes your body to get rid of caffeine ranges between three and seven hours. Caffeine affects people differently. If you’re prone to anxiety and nervousness, you only become more so with caffeine use. If you’re a heavy caffeine user, caffeine withdrawal may be a problem when you abstain from caffeine four hours or more before bedtime. Evidence shows signs of sleep disturbance even in those folks who claim that caffeine has no effect on their sleep. Nicotine Nicotine stimulates the nervous system, leading to increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, and generalized muscle tension . Many smokers’ first thought when they wake up is to smoke a cigarette. Smoking researchers attribute this to your brain waking you up because it needs a fix. The stimulant effects of nicotine and caffeine are additive, and they combine to ensure poor sleep. How to set up a pre-sleep routine Your nervous system craves routine. It works best when you carry on day to day in much the same way. Your pre-sleep routine should begin four or more hours before you actually try to go to sleep and ends only when you turn out the lights. It’s good not to go to bed on an empty stomach. An hour or so before you go to bed, have a light snack. How to create a positive sleep environment Here are some tips on how to create a positive sleep environment: Use curtains and window shades to cut down on intrusive light from the outside. Avoid temperature extremes. The ideal temperature for sleeping is between 54°F (12°C) and 75°F (24°C). Lower your body temperature by taking a hot bath two hours before bedtime. Use earplugs if the person sleeping next to you has a snoring problem. Use background noise to mask more disruptive sound. Spend some money on a good mattress. You want one that fits your body size and provides adequate support. How to eliminate competing cues The human brain works on the principle of association — if two things occur in time and space often enough, your brain makes a connection. When that connection is made, one part of that association will trigger the other. Your brain should have only one connection — one thought, one impulse, one craving — when it comes to the sleep environment and that is: “Hooray, finally, I can get some sleep!” You may have a problem getting to sleep in your bedroom simply because your brain has too many connections to other activities that compete with sleep. Your bedroom should be a place of sanctuary — a place where your mind and body can rest and recover. If you live in a studio (one-room) apartment, try to separate your sleeping area from the rest of the room with bookshelves, a screen or room divider, or something similar. How to distance yourself from work If work is filling your every waking moment, you need sufficient time to disconnect or unplug your mind from work activities before you can have any hope of getting to sleep. You should start to pull away from all things work related four hours prior to sleep. If four hours seem impossible, at least give yourself one hour of separation time between work and sleep. How to unclutter your mind Another reason you may have difficulty getting a good night’s sleep is that your mind is too cluttered with psychological “junk” at bedtime. As part of your pre-sleep routine, you might try writing down things you have in mind to do the next day. When to consider sleeping pills Using sleeping pills to get a good night’s sleep and reduce fatigue and irritability is not something you should do without consulting your doctor. Many types of sleeping pills produce negative side effects (daytime drowsiness, anxiety, rebound insomnia when you stop taking them). No credible evidence says that over-the-counter sleep aids improve sleep by any objective measure. The one type of pill that might help you get a good night’s sleep, but without the usual concerns about addiction and rebound effects, is an antidepressant. Antidepressants can be prescribed at lower dosages to promote sound sleep. Consult with your physician before deciding whether taking antidepressants to help with sleep is appropriate in your case.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

If you believe that you are suffering from a sleep disorder, there could be many causes. Before you launch an investigation into the possible physical causes, check out your bedroom. Your bedroom should be reserved for a night of peaceful rest. Dedicate your bedroom to sleep (yes, and romance). Here's how: If your pets sleep in the room with you, get them their own little beds. Install light-blocking shades or curtains. Keep the clock out of sight so you can't watch it during the night. Make sure your mattress and bed linens are comfortable. Take the TV and computer out of the bedroom. Use indirect lighting.