Can't Get A Good Night's Sleep?

A good night's sleep is more than a luxury. Sleep is as important to survival as food and water. On too little, we humans don't function well--for example, we run a higher risk of accidents, we sometimes perform poorly at work or school, and our moods can turn sour.

A sleepless night or two isn't a medical emergency. However, if difficulties persist, a sleep disorder may be involved. People with sleep disorders may have difficulty falling or staying asleep or waking up in the morning, fall asleep at inappropriate times, sleep too much, or show unusual behaviors during sleep. Important new research, including studies supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has linked lack of sleep with obesity, diabetes, and other related conditions.

Types and Causes of Sleep Disorders

Sleep problems can start with a sudden event. For example, a job loss can lead to nighttime worries, which in turn can lead to trouble sleeping. When a sleep problem occurs without another identified disease or condition, it is referred to as a primary sleep disorder. However, in many cases, sleep disorders are associated with other causes. Some circumstances and illnesses that can lead to sleep problems are as follows:

Because of lifestyles or work schedules, sleep just isn't a priority for some people. Stress from hectic schedules can make it difficult to relax and fall asleep.

The body's internal clock programs people to feel sleepy during the nighttime and to be active during daylight hours. When that clock goes off-kilter, sleep becomes difficult. For example, travelers who fly across multiple time zones quickly get "jet lag" because they cannot maintain a regular sleep-wake schedule.

People who work at night and try to sleep during the day are constantly fighting their internal clocks. This puts them at risk for disturbed sleep. Without adequate rest, they are more likely to make errors or have accidents at work.

Sleep disorders often occur in people who have a chronic disease that involves pain or infection, a neurological or psychiatric disorder, or an alcohol or substance abuse disorder. (These are sometimes called secondary sleep disorders.) For these individuals, sleep becomes difficult, potentially worsening the other medical condition, and affecting the person's health and safety, mood and behavior, and quality of life.

Sleep problems can arise during any period of life:

In children, inadequate sleep may lead to daytime sleepiness, which can interfere with a child's ability to learn in school and perform well in other activities. Sleep-deprived children may also tend to fall or have other accidents that lead to injury. Many children who are chronically deprived of sleep may not seem sleepy and may even appear to be overactive. Chronic sleep loss in these children may be overlooked or mistakenly attributed to hyperactivity or other behavior disorders.

Teenagers are notorious for getting too little sleep as they burn the midnight oil to study for exams or socialize late into the night. Body clocks actually shift during these years, so teens often stay up late and sleep beyond the morning hours. This tendency, when combined with an increased need for sleep in adolescence and an early first bell at most high schools, can put teenagers at risk for sleep disorders.

Women going through the menopausal transition are more likely to experience sleep problems than are other women.

Older adults' sleep is often easily disturbed by noise and other environmental factors. Older people are also more likely to have chronic health conditions or pain that make it more difficult for them to get into the deep, restful stages of sleep.

Certain medical conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, Parkinson's disease, or chronic pain, may contribute to sleep problems.

Source - National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine