Twenty-five percent of Americans suffer from sleep disorders that keep them tossing and turning on a regular basis. Learn more about these sleep sappers.

Video Transcription

Insomnia #2 – Sleep Disorders Cannot sleep? You are not alone. At least one in four Americans spends time tossing and turning on a regular basis. Mark Haltrecht, D.O. Family Practice Doctor NSLIJ Plainview Hospital Insomnia is certainly not rare. In fact, there are upwards of 85 recognized sleep disorders affecting more than 70 million Americans. Let us look at some common sleep disorders. The most basic sleep disorder is called insomnia. People with insomnia just do not get enough sleep at night. Either due to difficulty falling asleep, frequent nightly awakenings or early morning arising. Insomnia can be acute, meaning that at least for less than a month or chronic lasting for a month or longer. Acute insomnia can result from periods of stress, illness, or physical discomfort. Some medications can cause temporary insomnia as in environmental factors, like a new location, bright light, or excess noise. Chronic insomnia meanwhile, is more often related to depression, anxiety, or unremitting stress. Another common sleep difficulty is a circadian rhythm disorder. It results from disruptions to the body’s internal clock or 24-hour sleep cycle. This clock is actually a small part of the brain called the super chiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus, which rests above the nerves leaving the back of the eyes. Common causes of circadian rhythm disorders include jet lag and working odd hours. That is because unusual exposure to light and changes in activity can effectively reset the body’s clock, moving it forward or backward and making sleep difficult. Snoring is present in up to 45% of Americans and can present problems when the noise is so loud that it awakens the sleeper. This rattling sound is produced when the air you inhale passes over the throats relaxed tissue. Sometimes snoring can point to a more serious problem known as sleep apnea, which occurs when the upper air way becomes blocked interrupting breathing for brief periods during the night. People with sleep apnea are often overweight or may have especially small inner throats. In addition, sleep apnea often occurs in people with enlarged tonsils or a large palate. Restless leg syndrome is a condition where a person experiences severe discomfort in their legs and feet which can often only be ease by walking around. Because this syndrome peaks during the night, it can cause hours of sleep lost to restless pacing. Sometimes restless leg sufferers experienced erratic leg movements during sleep which can disturb the body’s sleep cycles. Sleep walking is a disorder that occurs during a non-orient sleep. Sleep walkers can perform any range of activities while they are not awake, such as turning on the TV or making a sandwich, yet they were often not remembered the nocturnal events the next day. Another sleep stealer is narcolepsy, a brain disorder that causes day time sleepiness. People with narcolepsy experience constant tiredness during the day and often find long naps refreshing. On rare occasions, narcolepsy can result in brief sleep attacks where sufferers fall asleep in the middle of the day while going about their normal business. Restored of sleep is vitally important. So if you are experiencing signs of sleep disorders, please see your doctor to discuss treatment options. Want to learn more, check out other videos and sources on this site for more information.