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Trouble Sleeping?- Maybe You Two Should Sleep in Separate Beds!

I am not kidding here—a new study came out suggesting that couples who have trouble sleeping and who sleep in the same bed may get better sleep if they sleep in separate beds. Apparently around 25 percent of U.S. couples sleep in different beds or rooms, according to the National Sleep Foundation. This is no [...]

Night Shift Workers–Health Risks of Poor Sleep

It’s estimated that at least 20% of the workforce in the USA and in Europe work the so-called graveyard shift, either as their primary shift, or at least more than half of the time—that includes yours truly. A new study has confirmed what was suspected by many—that night shift workers face significant health risks, and [...]

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Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

March 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea – Why it is not just excessive snoring that you should watch out for?

The many and confusing symptoms of Sleep Apnea arguably make the affliction one of the most dangerous and poorly treated of all the sleep disorders. Because of the way Sleep Apnea manifests itself, both at night and during the day, the condition is not straight forward and doctors and patients can have a difficult time isolating the condition and managing it. If you are worried about your own potential sleeping problems, here is guide of what to expect when looking for signs of Sleep Apnea.

The most common of the potential symptoms is the excessive snoring, although not all patients display this behavior. Because snoring is such a common occurrence, it would be easy to dismiss this sign because it does not seem out of the ordinary. Snores emitted by people with the disorder are not that much different from normal, just perhaps a bit more forceful. Where snoring and Sleep Apnea differ is in the rhythm and breathing. If the sufferer experiences periods without breath during their sleep or grunts and snorts between snores than there may be a more serious problem. These grunts and snorts are a sign that the airway is being obstructed so that the individual cannot breathe normally. Additionally people with Sleep Apnea may find themselves getting up more often in the middle of the night to urinate.

Following on from the initial night-time problems and the awkward pattern of snores and breathlessness, there are some signs to watch out for during the day. The effect of this sleeping pattern can mean that many suffering from the disorder feel fatigued during the day, as though their sleep was not refreshing enough. On top of this, they can also find themselves struggling with their basic cognitive functions. Patients will find themselves more easily confused, dizzy and prone to mood swings. They can find this presents itself in a number of ways including a loss of libido, difficulty driving and memory loss. Sufferers also have a greater chance of waking up with a dry throat and significant pain. Heartburn, chest pain and swollen legs and headaches are all negative consequences of Sleep Apnea. The latter is a sign reported by at least 50% of people with the affliction.

These day-time signs are all common symptoms of Sleep Apnea but they can pose a problem in identifying the problem. The symptoms with the greatest negative effect tend to be the depression, irritability and others that closely mirror those of Insomnia, as a result patients recall these to their doctor and are often misdiagnosed with Insomnia or Depression because the breathing issue is not dealt with. For this reason, the best way to be diagnosed could well be with the testimony of a partner that can vouch for the breathing patterns. This level of patients being wrongly diagnosed is even higher in women, with one study showing more than 90% of female patients had undiagnosed Sleep Apnea. This occurs because men are seen as more likely to develop the problem and women tend to suffer the insomnia like symptoms and irritability more.

While the condition is seen as an adult sleeping disorder, there are cases of children having Sleep Apnea too. There are even behaviors exhibited by children that could be symptoms of Sleep Apnea and include hyperactivity, irritability, bed wetting and mouth breathing. If a child does show these signs it could be a clue that they have developed, or are likely to develop, Sleep Apnea.

In summary, the signs of Sleep Apnea – when you know where to look – are clear to see and numerous, whether it is through snoring, obstruction in breathing, headaches, fatigue or any of the other side-effects. The problem is that the best indicator of the condition can only be observed when the patient is asleep so misdiagnosis is common and patients can wrongly assume they have Insomnia or Depression. If you recognize these signs in your partner’s sleeping behaviour persuade them to tell a doctor, or if you are worried you are displaying the day-time symptoms yourself, ask your partner to monitor your breathing while you sleep. If you know the symptoms of Sleep Apnea to watch out for, the easier it can be to get a formal opinion and the necessary help.

Filed Under: Sleeping Disorders Tagged With: , ,

What is Sleep Paralysis

January 15, 2012 by Leave a Comment
What is Sleep Paralysis - Immobility during sleep

What is sleep paralysis?

 

Often, people misdiagnose sleep disorders due to overlapping symptoms experienced in some, in the following article we hope to provide you with detailed and distinct knowledge of what is sleep paralysis?

That feeling when you’re sleeping and you feel as if you are drifting through dreams and suddenly you’re fully aware of your surroundings, following which you are unable to move at all and you feel another’s presence, that is the empirical essence of what is sleep paralysis. The prospect of sleep paralysis is rather scary, and therefore it is important to know exactly what is sleep paralysis so you’re in a better position to realize it and deal with it the next time.

To begin to uncover the question what is sleep paralysis, quite simply, it is a condition in which an individual experiences partial or absolute inability to carry out voluntary movements. This either happens just as you are falling asleep, (hypnogogic or predormital) or in most cases upon awakening from sleep (hypnopompic or postdormiral). It mostly happens when one is in a supine position and the paralysis lasts anywhere between seconds to several minutes.

Understanding what is sleep paralysis and narcolepsy

 

What is Sleep Paralysis - Immobility during sleep
Sleep paralysis is a condition in which an individual experiences partial or absolute inability to carry out voluntary movements.

Sleep paralysis is most often associated with narcolepsy, a neurological condition whereby one experiences sudden bouts of daytime sleepiness. Therefore it is always good to get your condition checked by a doctor to ensure you do not have narcolepsy, as unlike sleep paralysis, that is a physically harming condition. There is no real causation of sleep paralysis yet discovered, it could be a number of factors such as genetics, immunity etc. General symptoms covered when considering what is sleep paralysis, include immobility, the feeling of not being able to breathe, rapid eye movements, feeling choked and hallucinations of strange noises and images.

When looking at what is sleep paralysis, it is important to remember that the condition, is in no way harmful to the health, physically or even mentally. Except, while undergoing a phase of sleep paralysis, there is a strong feeling of fear and anxiety that is felt in the moment. It seems extremely scary and confounding and it’s hard to make sense of much immediately. This sensation can be heightened if hallucinations take place, whereby one begins to imagine the presence of someone either fantastical or horrific, which in most cases is extremely disturbing to the mind. During this whole phase though you are technically awake, the process must have been quite sudden, due to which the brain still believes it is dreaming. But within minutes the body fully awakens and either gradually or abruptly one will be able to move voluntarily again. The phase usually terminates upon sound or touch.

Sleep paralysis though seemingly unreal, is quite a realistic experience and is quite common. About 20% to 50% of the world suffers from it. It is found most commonly amongst university students (21%), a lot of which is owed to sleep deprivation, stress and the disruption of sleep-wake cycle schedules.

It is important to keep in mind the above-mentioned facts about what is sleep paralysis, to avoid confusing it or misdiagnosing it with other sleep and anxiety disorders.

Filed Under: Sleep Paralysis, Sleep-Troublesome Actions Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

What is Narcolepsy

December 30, 2011 by Leave a Comment
What is Narcolepsy Symptoms

Seeing as it’s slowly becoming a more widespread phenomenon, it is important to take a look at what is narcolepsy. Today about 1 in every 2000 people worldwide are affected by it. Narcolepsy is a chronic neurological sleeping disorder, which no treated can result in serious repercussion on your physical, mental and social well-being. While it is a lifelong condition, if you make the correct lifestyle changes and are cautious about medication, you can enjoy a fully normal and active life with heavily reduced symptoms and affects.

What is Narcolepsy – A Definition

It is simply defined as a chronic disorder affecting the central nervous system, whereby the brain in unable to control our sleep-wake cycles, resulting in periods of extreme irresistible daytime sleepiness, lasting from seconds to minutes. There are mixed signals sent by the brain, whereby sleep episodes can come about at anytime, while you’re eating, playing, driving etc. The ambiguous and uncertain sleep patterns often lead to accidents now and then due to the possibility of falling asleep while eating, cooking, driving, playing etc.

What is Narcolepsy – Period of Onset

One can develop narcolepsy at any point in life, though it usually occurs after puberty, during the years of early adulthood. However, it is important to know that even when one has the condition, it’s level of seriousness always varies, it usually takes years for the symptoms to progress to a point where it becomes a matter of concern. Due to it’s slow progressive nature, the disorder commonly goes undiagnosed for a while and when symptoms start to show, it usually points towards a general neurological disorder.

What is Narcolepsy – Causes

Looking at the causes of narcolepsy, much of it is still uncertain, as there is ongoing research to find a specific cause of the condition. There are possibly multiple factors that can bring about narcolepsy in any one person. It is completely sporadic and hence one doesn’t require family history to get it, hence genetics doesn’t play a big role. Other factors such as hormonal changes, high stress levels, trauma or a immune-system dysfunction are said to contribute to the inception of the condition.

What is Narcolepsy – Symptoms

What is Narcolepsy Symptoms

Excessive daytime sleepiness is one of the symptoms of narcolepsy

Individuals suffering from narcolepsy, experience a number of primary symptoms, followed by secondary symptoms, which most often varies from person to person. The main symptoms include excessive daytime sleepiness, abnormal REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and cataplexy (loss of muscle control). Other symptoms of narcolepsy include the generation of strong emotions such as laughing or crying, one could experience vivid, visual or auditory hallucinations when awakening or dropping asleep. Sleep paralysis is a common side affect for small time periods along with microsleep, which are brief sleep episodes during which your body carries out other functions such as talking, walking etc.

What is Narcolepsy – Diagnosis

When hinted at, though no easily possible, there are certain tests that doctors can perform to test for and diagnose narcolepsy in an individual. In addition to the general symptoms, doctors carry out certain special methods such as, a nocturnal polysomnogram, where by the electrical activity of the brain and heart are measured overnight, along with muscle and eye movement. Sometimes a multiple sleep latency test is carried out, which measures how long it takes one to fall asleep during the day. And finally a spinal fluid analysis, the lack of hypocretin in the fluid can mark narcolepsy, this chemical results for the feeling of alertness when awake and helps in sleep regulation.

Therfore, it is important to look at the root causes, symptoms and ways of diagnosis, to fully understand what is narcolepsy.

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