Sleep Deprivation Effects

How Sleep Disorders And Lack Of Sleep Can Affect Daily Life

Throughout the world, millions of people suffer from sleep deprivation effects in one way or another, led by insomnia or any of the many other sleep disorders. Although sleep deprivation can be caused by many things, there is but one true cure- to sleep better. This is easier said than done!

At first, it may not seem very important, but sleep deprivation effects can cause accidents, end careers and ruin personal relationships. What was at one time considered to be a minor issue, sleep disorders have now grown into a major health problem, demanding a great deal of attention and treatment.

Ever since the industrial revolution and technological advances, lack of sleep has grown as a problem. Various studies and reports have shown that sleep deprivation effects have played a part in serious car accidents as well as major world incidents and disasters.

Of course, sleep deprivation can affect personal lives in many ways. For instance:

-reduced alertness and reduced cognitive ability

-mood changes, including increased depression and aggression

-lowered brain activity

-impaired glucose intolerance, increased risk of diabetes

-hypertension and heart palpitations

-memory loss

-irritability and impaired judgement

-psychosis

Example Sleep Disorders

Statistically, up to 40% of the adult population will experience some form of sleep disorder or sleep disturbance at some point in their lifetime. A few of the more common sleep disorders that will result in sleep deprivation are:

-Insomnia. Defined as the inability to sleep, insomnia may affect as many as one third of the adult population, particularly women, the elderly, and those who are thin, depressed or suffering stress.

-Sleep apnea. A sleep disorder in which the individual repeatedly stops breathing throughout the night, resulting in frequently waking up.

-Restless Leg Syndrome. This is a disorder characterized by the uncontrollable urge to move limbs, usually the legs. Whilst not strictly a sleep disorder, it frequently results in loss of sleep for the affected individual.

How Can You Sleep Better?

The first step to sleeping better is to determine just what is causing sleep disturbance. For new parents or night shift workers, the cause may be obvious, For others, however, it may not be so evident. Spending time in a sleep clinic may be the answer for some. Depending on the results obtained, medication,behavioural therapy or lifestyle changes may be the way forward. In the case of sleep apnea, medication will often be prescribed, as well as a specialized breathing apparatus to stop disrupted breathing at night.

It is vital to pay attention to any significant changes to normal sleep patterns. Although many like to believe otherwise, sleep is a basic, fundamental need, just as important as food and water, and an absolute requirement for good health

Tuesday, 15 March 2011

Sleep Apnea- The Sleep Disorder That Can Be Fatal

Sleep Apnea is a very serious sleep disorder that can be life threatening. People suffering from sleep apnea often fall asleep quite normally, but once asleep, the ability to breathe can be blocked. This inability to breathe is usually caused by the muscles in the throat relaxing too much and collapsing into the airway. The body then sends a signal to the brain to indicate that breathing has been blocked, which causes the person to wake up and start breathing again. This cycle of interrupted breathing can happen on many occasions throughout the night.

Very often, the sufferer of this particular sleep disorder, is totally unaware that anything is happening to him, other than not being able to understand why they always feel so tired during the day.

The most common form of this sleep disorder is obstructive sleep apnea. It is thought, for example, that between 18-20% of the adult population of the United States is at some point affected by obstructive sleep apnea. If this sleep disorder is left untreated, it can prove to be fatal, due to it possibly being the underlying cause of illnesses such as heart disease, strokes, pulmonary hypertension and systemic hypertension.

There are several methods of treatment for sleep apnea, ranging from surgical to non-invasive. The first line of therapy for those who have moderate to severe sleep apnea is positive airway pressure (PAP), which uses a machine to deliver a constant flow of air through a mask worn whilst sleeping. This flow is calculated following a visit to a sleep clinic, to ensure the correct force is applied.

Dental devices can also be used in mild to moderate cases of sleep apnea. Normally, these devices fall into two categories:

-mandibular,lower jaw advancing devices

-tongue retaining devices

Of the two, mandibular devices are the most commonly used, attaching to the upper jaw and pulling the lower jaw and the base of the tongue forward, resulting in keeping the airways open.

Medications are not usually successful in treating sleep apnea, although due to the type of illness, antidepressants are sometimes prescribed. There are also surgical options for obstructive sleep apnea, including corrective jaw surgery, palatal implants and tracheostomy.

As you can see, people with this form of sleep disorder, generally improve their quality of life, given the appropriate sleep apnea treatment.

Discover How These 9 Sufferers Improved Their Quality Of Life
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3 comments:

  1. Anonymous18 November 2011 at 03:23

    This blog is great and has provided many interesting and useful information about sleep apnea. Thanks and I hope to see such information in the future as well.


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  2. Anonymous23 November 2011 at 23:57

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  3. Anonymous24 November 2011 at 00:09

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