Photo: Elena Elisseeva/PhotoSpin
Many people suffer from sleep disorders, and these disorders can be a hazard to their health. Sleep disorders in adults can cause many medical conditions such as high blood pressure, heart rhythm disturbances, heart failure, insulin resistance, memory problems and other health risks. Therefore, it is essential that you get medical help if you have a sleep disorder.
Your sleeping problem may not be just insomnia or a bad food choice. It may be something more serious. For instance, sleep apnoea is a condition that causes an individual to reduce or pause his or her breathing during sleep. The apnoea happens when you stop breathing for at least 10 seconds or longer. Your sleep is disrupted due to the apnoea since you will experience no air flow or normal breathing due to an inadequate amount of oxygen in your blood. To determine if you suffer from this condition, some tests will need to be done. The tests will measure the severity of your apnoea. This is done by dividing the number of apnoea disruptions by the number of hours of normal sleep. Sleep apnoea is seen mostly in adults. However, there is a promising new study during which 70 per cent of sleep apnoea patients have been cured by a new surgical treatment, so sleep apnoea is becoming easier to treat.
Another rare sleep disorder is the exploding head sleep syndrome. You will think you heard a loud noise such as a gunshot, cymbals, bomb or a clap sound. The loud sound will interrupt your sleep. Extreme fatigue or stress could be a reason for this disorder, but according to the American Sleep Association, there is no known reason or treatment for this condition.
Some people spend too much time sleeping. This is called the sleeping beauty syndrome. You may need your beauty rest, but if you get too much, you may be harming your health. The scientific name for this syndrome is Kleine-Levin Syndrome. This condition causes you to sleep for 20 hours or more daily. You wake up only long enough to go to the restroom or to eat. When you are awake, you appear as if you are in a trance and not fully awake. Individuals who experience this sleep disorder will feel confused, disoriented and lethargic.
Another challenging sleep disorder is the REM or Rapid Eye Movement disorder. This sleep behavior disorder causes you to act out a dream while you are sleeping. The person who has this disorder will lose paralysis causing him or her to act out the dream. This behavior disorder can become violent causing injury to themselves or others. The individual may require treatment to restore his or her natural paralyzed state of sleep and mind.
You fall asleep, but you spend the night eating large amounts of junk food. This is a sleep eating disorder. You do not realize you are eating and absorbing large amounts of calories. People with this disorder eat foods that no one would consider if they were awake. For instance, they may choose foods like cat food or coffee grounds.
Narcolepsy is a sleeping disorder that causes you to lose your muscle control. It can occur due to a strong emotion. You may fall asleep during the day many times. It can occur during a meal or a conversation. It happens when you least expect it to happen. Therefore, this condition can be very stressful and challenging to an individual’s health.
With so many sleep disorders, adults should seek medical attention if they suffer from sleep problems. A good night sleep can help you be more successful in your life and work. You will be healthier with the proper amount of quality sleep.
All user-generated information on this site is the opinion of its author only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. Members and guests are responsible for their own posts and the potential consequences of those posts detailed in our Terms of Service.
Add a Comment2 Comments
Hi mattmlstd,
Great information for may suffering from sleep disorders.
Best,
Daisy
October 28, 2013 - 6:36amThis Comment
Thanks DaisyN,
October 29, 2013 - 5:09amI'm glad you like my article, I hope that sleep disorder suferers will find it helpful.
Regards
Matt
This Comment