Sound Sleep Guide

Archive for the ‘Sleep Disorders’ Category

Insomnia, by itself, is not a disease. It may be a symptom of a physical and emotional imbalance or just manifestation of fatigue caused by lack of sleep. This condition is manifested by any of the following: a) light, interrupted sleep that one is still tired upon waking up, b) not being able to sleep, even if fatigued, c) lack of sleeping hours. Although this condition is usually temporary, insomnia may be classified based on the length of time it has affected the patient.

* Transient Insomnia – This circumstance remains just for a couple of days. Transient insomnia is typically caused by tension or as a direct reaction to change. It is occasionally called adjustment sleep disorder. The disorder might spring up after a traumatic issue or even during minor changes such as travelling or atmospheric condition changes.

Caffeine and nicotine are likewise maintained to affect sleeping patterns. Caffeine, which is present in coffee, and nicotine, existing in cigarettes, can induce transient insomnia. In most cases, treatment for transient insomnia is not needed. It usually concludes after a few days once the individual was capable to adapt to the brand-new situations or environment.

* Short-term Insomnia – This endures for 3 weeks or less. Short-term insomnia and transient insomnia are just about similar in their causes.

Female hormonal changes can bear on sleep practices. Among the female hormones, progesterone, promotes sleep. During menstruation, once its levels are low, women may experience insomnia. On the other hand, during ovulation, the gain in progesterone levels step-ups sleepiness. Variances in the level of progesterone during pregnancy and menopause cause altered sleeping patterns leading to transient insomnia. While women after 50 likewise experience chronic insomnia, this is usually caused by psychological or overemotional factors.

Varieties in working circumstances, such as switching schedules, also cause short-term insomnia. Likewise, people who incline to overwork get less rest than the average. In one case, insomnia was also discovered in people doing a great deal of computer work.

Light can also touch on one’s sleep. A bit much light at nighttime can interrupt sleep or even prevent sleepiness. Also, little light during the day, as in disabled or senior patients who seldom go out can also cause short-term insomnia. This is since the degrees of melatonin reacting to darkness. Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland, a pea-sized gland at the centre of the brain, that assists and regulates the cycles of sleeping and awaking.

* Chronic insomnia – when a person couldn’t sleep, has interrupted sleep, or is still tired after sleeping; and the condition recurs for more than two nights every week for more than one month. Also, it is characterized when the patient is fatigued and believes that his daily activities are affected by this sleeping condition.

Based on the causes, chronic insomnia may be further characterized into primary or secondary: * Primary chronic insomnia – when the insomnia is not caused by any physical or mental imbalance. * Secondary chronic insomnia – may be caused by physical and mental conditions, such as depression, or emotional and psychiatric disorders.

In one survey, in industrial nations, chronic insomnia affects almost ten percent of adults. Insomnia can impact a patient during daytime when patient may experience drowsiness in the mornings or in the afternoon. A few, in spite of their drowsiness account failure to sleep. Even worse, a different group accounted excessive energy throughout the day. These people are more troubled and even more cranky.

Due to failure to acquire adequate rest, these people have subdued concentration. If someone has pre-existing medical condition, such as orthopaedic pain or arthritis, this may be aggravated by insomnia. When one suspects that he or she has insomnia, consulting a doctor would be the safest advise. One of these therapies may also be attempted.

* Minimizing consumption of caffeine containing beverages. This includes coffee, colas and chocolate. It is advised to restrict consumption after 3pm. For most people, these substances are eliminated from the body in a few hours. But some people have slow biologic elimination process, which caffeine can stay in the body longer than the average.

* People can also limit stay in bed during the sleeping hours. This is effective to increase the tendency to sleep when in bed.

Just like adults, toddlers sleep problems can occur, which could result in lack of sleep, fear of sleeping alone, restless sleep and insomnia. Nightmares are the most common sleep problems of toddlers.

Dreams usually occur when people are in the REM (rapid eye movement) stage of sleep, which occurs about four to five times each night. Although many dreams are easily forgotten, most nightmares can wake up your toddler from bed and call for his or her parents.

Toddler sleep problems generally start at three years of age up to eight years old. This stage is the toddler’s most active fantasy life, which results in more realistic and vivid dreams. However, when nightmares occur, your toddler will be wide-awake and responsive after a certain nightmare. Because of this, your son or daughter will still recall details of the nightmare even in the next morning.

Although toddler sleep problems, especially nightmares, are normal, a persistent and nightly set of nightmares is not healthy for both your toddler and other people in your household because it could cause sleepless nights. Continuous nightmares are usually triggered by stress, change in routines or a response to a store, TV show or violent movie. The best way to fight toddler sleep problems associated with nightmares is to reassure him or her that the dream is not real. You can also avoid stress in your toddler’s life and avoid telling horror stories or watching brutal shows before bedtime.

Understanding Night Terrors and Sleepwalking

The other two common toddler sleep problems are night terrors and sleepwalking, which are both normal during this stage of your child. Compared to nightmares, night terrors can be frightening to parents because your toddler is not aware that he or she is screaming or crying for several minutes in the middle of the night. Since he is not aware, you cannot reassure them that the night terror is not real. For this reason, you just need to ensure that your child returns to bed safely.

Sleepwalking is a normal sleep problem of toddlers. Just like night terrors, your child is not aware of what he or she is doing, such as walking around the house. Sleepwalkers usually go back to bad in a couple of minutes, so it is not advisable to wake them up while sleepwalking. Instead, you should make sure that your toddler goes back to bed safely.

When nightmares, sleepwalking, night terrors and other toddler sleep problems continue to persist, it is important that you seek counseling or medical attention to disrupt the cycle and allow your child to have proper sleep.

When You Just Can’t Take Them Crawling Into Bed with You

You know the situation—it’s the middle of the night, and you’ve been sound asleep for several hours. Suddenly, you hear a little voice say, “Mommy, can I come into bed with you?” You sigh, roll over, and make space for your toddler to climb into the bed in between you and your spouse. Normal toddler behavior, right? Perhaps so.

But maybe your toddler could be suffering from a toddler sleep disorder-one of many sleep disorders that most commonly afflicts toddlers and young children. Oh, great, you may be thinking. I’ve just stopped worrying about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, and now I have to worry about a toddler sleep disorder? Well, the good news is that you shouldn’t worry too much. Only about 10 per cent of toddlers are actually afflicted by a toddler sleep disorder.

In fact, it is common for toddlers to have trouble sleeping during the night, especially if they are plagued by frequent ear infections. Boys are generally more likely than girls to have trouble sleeping, because they are more susceptible to other disorders like hyperactivity and Attention Deficit Disorder that can affect sleeping habits. However, despite the low risk factor that your toddler could have a toddler sleep disorder, it is important to be aware of the possibilities and seek treatment if necessary.

Common Sleep Disorders Found in Toddlers

There are some sleep disorders that, while they can affect anyone, are most commonly found in toddlers. These toddler sleep disorders include: sleep apnea, sleepwalking, night terrors, head banging, and rocking. Common symptoms of a toddler sleep disorder are: snoring, breathing noisily, breathing through the mouth, coughing or choking throughout the night, excessive sweating, confusion when waking up during the night, rocking or head banging when falling asleep, looking scared when waking up in the middle of the night, kicking, or sleepwalking.

One of the main ways that you can help your child get the right amount of sleep is by establishing a stable bedtime routine and sleep schedule. Also, if you suspect that your child has a toddler sleep disorder, you should contact your child’s doctor immediately. Remember, it is not uncommon for toddlers to have trouble sleeping. However, many sleep disorders are genetic and can be passed down to toddlers and children from their parents. If this is the case, it is important to diagnose the sleep disorder as early as possible in order to begin treatment as soon as possible.