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... Read more >
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 >
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. Find out... Read more >
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 >
Disrupted sleep is a general term that refers to any condition in which sleep doesn’t follow its normal cycle and/or a particular cycle doesn’t last as long as it should. Because of the general nature of the term "disrupted sleep," the causes of disorders that fall into this category are varied. Some of the common risk factors associated with disrupted sleep include:
diet
drug and alcohol use
exercise... Read more >
While many people have the occasional problem falling or staying asleep, those with insomnia suffer from a chronic condition that can manifest itself in a series of ways. Experts suggest that if your lack of a good night's sleep interferes with your daytime routine for one month or more, you may suffer from insomnia. In these cases, see your doctor to determine the cause of and treatment for your... Read more >
If you have trouble getting a good night's sleep, you may incorrectly assume you are an insomniac. Yet, some other condition related to insomnia may actually be preventing you from sleeping. The difference between insomnia and other conditions that prevent you from sleeping is that, for the most part, while insomniacs reach stages of restful sleep, those with the disorders described in this article generally do... Read more >
What Are Parasomnias?
Parasomnias can occur during REM (rapid-eye movement) sleep or NREM (non rapid eye-movement) stages of sleep. A parasomnia is a partial arousal, meaning that the person exhibits symptoms of being both asleep and awake at the same time. Most parasomnias include physical or verbal behaviors that are considered undesirable and sometimes even dangerous. Learn more about parasomnias and other... Read more >