Sleep Disorder Overview

types of sleep disorders awake at night

Sleep disorders are a highly common medical issue that affects millions of Americans each year. While some people suffer from mild sleeping problems, such as the occasional nightmare, others have extremely severe sleep disorders that can negatively affect their health if left untreated.In fact, 95 percent of people suffering from a sleep disorder remain undiagnosed. This staggering number means that a huge number of... Read more >

Causes

causes of sleep deprivation woman awake in bed

Causes of sleep deprivation can be divided into four broad areas: lifestyle, health complications, medication side effects and clinical disorders. Finding out the cause of your sleep disorder is important because it will determine the type of treatment you need. For example, while those with lifestyle habits that affect their sleep will simply need to alter their lifestyle, those on medication or people who suffer... Read more >

Effects

effects of sleep deprivation man yawning

Sleep deprivation can have serious effects on your health in the form of physical and mental impairments. Inadequate rest impairs our ability to think, handle stress, maintain a healthy immune system and moderate our emotions. In fact, sleep is so important to our overall health that total sleep deprivation has been proven to be fatal: lab rats denied the chance to rest die within two to three weeks. Maintaining... Read more >

Treatments

sleep disorder treatments woman asleep on couch

If you suffer from a sleep disorder, getting treatment is important to maintaining good health. However, because the causes of sleep deprivation are so vast, including physical disabilities, lifestyle choices and emotional disorders, it may be hard to identify exactly what is disrupting your sleep.In diagnosing you, your doctor will likely perform a series of tests and ask you about your... Read more >

Sleep Wake Transition

Sleep-wake transition disorders cause difficulties in making the transition from waking to slumber, or from one sleep stage to another. The best-known transition disorder is so common that most people don't even consider it to be one: sleep talking. Somniloquy or Sleep Talking Sleep talking can occur at any point in the slumber cycle. The lighter the sleep, the more intelligible the speech. During the early... Read more >

Sleep-Inducing Foods

Could you eat your way to a better night's sleep? If you're having problems sleeping at night, you might want to take a trip to your local grocery store and stock up on sleep-inducing foods. These foods will help you fall asleep and wake up well rested. Top 10 Sleep-Inducing Foods The following foods can make getting a good night's sleep a dream come true: Almonds: Almonds contain both tryptophan, an amino... Read more >

Sleep Disorders in Children

Children’s sleep disorders can cause serious health problems because they often go undiagnosed for a long period of time. This could be due to the fact that children may not know that they suffer from sleep problems. Although they may be able to communicate that they are tired, explaining that their nighttime sleep isn’t restful may be more difficult for them to express, especially if they have never known... Read more >

Insomnia Treatment

Insomnia treatments aim to provide cures for insomnia, or at least some measure of insomnia relief. Treatments for insomnia range from behavioral changes, medication and education to hypnosis.In many cases, insomnia is a symptom of some underlying condition. In order to provide long-lasting insomnia relief, treatment must address the underlying cause. When no underlying cause is evident, treatment for insomnia aims... Read more >