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UNDERSTANDING SLEEP DISORDER ...  
What Are Sleep Problems?  
Sleep can be divided into two types: rapid eye-movement (REM) sleep, also called dream sleep, and non-REM (NREM) sleep, also called non-dream sleep. NREM sleep has four stages of depth -- one being the lightest, four being the deepest. During normal sleep, you cycle through these types and stages. If your sleep is repeatedly interrupted and you cannot cycle normally through REM and NREM sleep, you may feel tired, fatigued, or sleepy and may have trouble concentrating or paying attention while awake. Also, sleepy individuals are at greater risk for driving accidents.
If you have trouble getting to sleep or sleeping through the night, if you wake up too early or have a hard time waking up at all, or if you are very tired during the day, you may have one of the following sleep problems.
Circadian rhythm disorders:    

Typically, people sleep at night -- thanks not only to the conventions of society, such as the standard 9-to-5 workday, but also the close interaction between our sleep system and our alertness rhythm, which is driven by our internal clock.
This "clock" is a small part of the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus. It sits just above the nerves leaving the back of our eyes. Light resets the clock and can move it forward or backward. Abnormalities related to this clock are called circadian rhythm disorders. (Circadian comes from circa, which means "about," and dies, which means "day.")

Circadian rhythm disorders include jet lag, adjustments to shift work, delayed sleep phase syndrome (or delayed clock, which means you cannot fall asleep and wake up on time) and advanced sleep phase syndrome (or advanced clock, which means you fall asleep and wake up too early).

Insomnia:    
People who have insomnia don't get enough sleep at night. They may have trouble falling asleep, or may wake up frequently during the night or early in the morning. Insomnia is a problem if it affects your daytime activities. Insomnia has many possible causes, including stress, anxiety, poor sleep habits, depression, disorders of the internal clock (such as jet lag), and many medications.
Snoring:    
Many adults snore. This noise is produced when the air you inhale rattles over the relaxed tissues of the throat. Snoring can be a problem simply because of the noise it causes. It may also be a marker of a more serious sleep problem called "sleep apnea."
Sleep apnea:    
Sleep apnea occurs when the upper airway becomes completely or partially blocked, interrupting regular breathing for short periods of time. It can cause severe daytime sleepiness, and evidence is building that left untreated, severe sleep apnea may be associated with high blood pressure and risk for stroke and heart attack.
Pregnancy and sleep:    
Women who are pregnant often experience sleepless nights and daytime fatigue in the first and third trimesters of their pregnancy. During the first trimester, frequent trips to the bathroom and morning sickness may disrupt sleep. Later in pregnancy, vivid dreams and physical discomfort may prevent deep sleep. After delivery, the new baby's care or the mother's postpartum depression may interrupt sleep.
Narcolepsy:      
Narcolepsy is a brain/nerve disorder that causes excessive daytime sleepiness. There is a definite genetic component, but most patients have no family history of the problem. Though dramatic and uncontrolled "sleep attacks" have been the best-known feature of narcolepsy, in reality many patients do not have sleep attacks. Instead, they experience constant sleepiness during the day. Naps are often refreshing for people with narcolepsy.
Restless leg syndrome:      
In those who have restless leg syndrome, discomfort in the legs and feet peaks during the evening and night. They may feel an urge to move their legs and feet to get temporary relief. As a result, most people who have the condition have excessive rhythmic or cyclic leg movements during sleep. This can delay sleep onset and cause brief awakening during sleep. Restless leg syndrome is a common problem among middle-aged and older adults.
Nightmares:      
Nightmares are frightening dreams. They arise during REM sleep. They can be caused by stress, anxiety, and some drugs. Often there is no clear cause.
Night terrors and sleepwalking:      
Both night terrors and sleepwalking arise during NREM sleep and occur mostly in children between the ages of 3 and 5. A night terror can be dramatic: Your child may wake up screaming, unable to explain what scared him or her. Sometimes children who have night terrors remember a frightening image, but often they remember nothing. Night terrors are often more frightening for parents than for their child. Sleepwalkers can perform an extensive range of activities, some potentially dangerous (like leaving the house), while they continue to sleep.
What Causes the Various Sleep Disorders?      
Insomnia: Insomnia may be temporary and stem from a simple cause, such as jet lag. Short-term insomnia may be caused by an illness or a stressful event or by drinking too much coffee. Many medications list insomnia as a side effect. Long-lasting insomnia may be caused by stress, depression, or anxiety.
Also, people can become conditioned to insomnia: They associate bed and bedtime with difficulty, expect to have trouble sleeping (and thus do), and become irritable (which can cause more insomnia).
This cycle can be maintained for several years. Circadian rhythm disorders are an important but less common cause of insomnia. Often people who abuse alcohol or drugs suffer from insomnia.

“ …….people can become conditioned to insomnia.”

Snoring and sleep apnea:
When you fall asleep, many muscles in your body relax. If the muscles in your throat relax too much, your breathing may be blocked and you may snore. Sometimes snoring is caused by allergies, asthma, or nasal deformities that make breathing difficult.
Though apnea means "no airflow," researchers now know that in most cases of sleep apnea, the obstruction is only partial. Sleep apnea was thought to be a disorder primarily of overweight, middle-aged (or older) men. However, abnormal breathing during sleep (sleep-disordered breathing) can affect persons of any age and either sex, and at least 30% of those affected are not obese. Most people with sleep apnea have a smaller than normal inner throat and other subtle bone and soft-tissue differences.
Drops in blood oxygen during sleep -- once thought to cause awakenings among those with sleep apnea -- may or may not be present. Most likely, awakening occurs with the increased effort required to overcome the obstruction of the airway.
Drinking alcohol can make obstructive sleep apnea worse because it relaxes muscles.
Central sleep apnea occurs when signals from your brain to your muscles decrease or stop for a short time. You may not snore if you have central sleep apnea. This type is much more rare.
Pregnancy and sleep:
Fatigue during the first trimester of pregnancy is likely due to changing levels of hormones, such as progesterone. Toward the end of a pregnancy, some women find it difficult to sleep because they are uncomfortable due to the size of their abdomen. Some women are too excited, anxious, or worried about becoming mothers to sleep well. Other women who are pregnant complain that vivid dreams prevent them from getting restful sleep. Sleep apnea, especially if it's severe and causes your blood oxygen level to drop during sleep, is a risk to the fetus.
Narcolepsy:
The cause of narcolepsy is not clear. There is a link between narcolepsy and proteins used by our immune system to recognize foreign material (such as a transplanted organ). Genetic and environmental factors likely play roles, too. There are some rare nerve disorders that can cause what seems to be narcolepsy.
Restless leg syndrome:
There are many possible causes of restless leg syndrome. Stronger associations include kidney failure, some nerve disorders, vitamin deficiencies, pregnancy, iron deficiency, and some medications (such as antidepressants). About 50% of those who have restless leg syndrome have relatives with the same condition.
Nightmares/night terrors:
Nightmares can be triggered by a frightening or stressful event, a fever or illness, or use of some medications or alcohol. Night terrors are most common in children but can affect adults who are experiencing emotional or psychological problems.

Several other factors can contribute to sleep problems:  
Age: Infants may sleep up to 16 hours per day. But most won't sleep through the night without a feeding until 4 months of age. School-aged children may sleep 10 hours a day. Their sleep may be disturbed by an illness or fever. Call you doctor if your child has a fever and is sluggish when waking up.

“ Fatigue during the first trimester of pregnancy is likely due to changing levels of hormones, such as progesterone. ”

People over 60 may not sleep as deeply as younger people. They may find afternoon naps refreshing. Sleep apnea is more common among older people.
Lifestyle: People who drink coffee, smoke cigarettes, or drink alcohol are more likely to have sleep problems than people who do not.
Medication: Many medications can cause sleeplessness. Others can cause daytime fatigue.
Depression and anxiety: Depression and anxiety often cause insomnia.
Heart failure and lung problems: Some people find it difficult to sleep at night because they become breathless when they lie down. This can be a symptom of heart failure or a problem with the lungs.

       
 
 
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