Problem sleeping

Sleep is the natural regular period in our 24 hour day when we are unconscious and unaware of our surroundings. Most of us will find it hard to sleep at some point in our lives, whether it’s from stress, trauma or excitement - we will then suffer from insomnia. A recent report showed that 25% of Americans report occasional sleeping problems, with insomnia being a chronic problem for about 10% of the population. Do you have a problem sleeping?

We need sleep to keep our minds and bodies healthy. Our bodies and minds cannot recharge themselves if we don’t sleep. A person that has a problem sleeping could start feeling tired all the time, falling asleep during the day, finding it difficult to concentrate or make decisions, as well as beginning to feel depressed. These symptoms could be very dangerous if you are driving or operating heavy machinery.

Daytime sleepiness is a sleeping problem that can occur, with its two main symptoms being that one could feel sleepy in the day time, and you could suddenly lose control of your muscles and collapse when you feel angry, are laughing or excited. You may find that you that you suffer from sleep paralysis, when you feel you can’t speak or move when falling asleep or waking up. You may hear odd sounds, hallucinate or run on ‘auto-pilot’.   Treatment consists of taking regular exercise and having a regular night time routine, and possibly even taking medication such as antidepressants .

If you have a problem sleeping, you may suffer from sleep apnoea. Sleep apnoea is an interrupted sleep whereby the upper part of your airway closes and as soon as this happens, you stop breathing and wake suddenly. Treatment usually involves correcting the parts of your lifestyle that may be making the problem worse, such as cutting down smoking and drinking. If your apnoea is severe, it may be necessary to wear a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) mask which fits over your nose and supplies high pressure air to keep your airway open.

At some point in their life, about 1 in 20 adults have night terrors, and 1 in 100 report that they sleep-walk, with these conditions being more common in children. Restless Legs Syndrome is another illness that causes many to have problems sleeping. It is caused by an uncomfortable painful or burning feeling in your legs that would cause you to feel you have to move your legs. These feelings are only eased by movement such as walking or stretching so can be rather detrimental in gaining a good nights rest.

All sleeping problems can lead to daytime drowsiness, poor concentration, and the inability to feel refreshed and rested in the morning. Sometimes carrying out normal daily responsibilities may be impaired because of lack of rest. Try modifying your nighttime sleeping habits before resorting to drugs and medication to cure your problem sleeping. But if need be, speak to a doctor or health care provider about getting help, because sleep is a basic necessity for life.