INSOMNIA - Patients experiencing an inability to go to sleep, stay asleep, or both are generally suffering from insomnia. Insomnia is the most common type of sleep disorder and has a multitude of factors including stress, loss of a loved one, a change in sleep schedule, obesity, chronic pain, anxiety, depression, and even drug abuse. Given the many factors that can contribute to insomnia it is not uncommon for individuals to experience occasional insomnia during their lifetime. Insomnia can be treated with various prescription medications or over-the-counter medications but this is only recommended as a short term treatment option. The treatment for chronic insomnia is a combination of medication (for a limited time), behavioral therapy and by following several sleep guidelines:
• Maintain regular sleep/wake cycles, avoiding long naps during waking hours.
• The bed is designated as a sleep only location…no eating, reading, or TV. If you are unable to sleep after 15 minutes get up and do something you think will make you tired, then return to the bed.
• A healthy diet of fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains along with daily exercise can help to promote good sleep. It is important to avoid workouts within an hour of bedtime; this time should be spent relaxing your body and mind. Drugs like sleeping pills, caffeine, alcohol and cigarettes should also be avoided as they can disrupt REM sleep.
There are other non-drug therapy options for the treatment of insomnia. However, drug therapy options…when non-drug therapy treatments for insomnia are not effective. With the advantage of the internet and the wealth of information available…it is important to research any medications and their side effects.
What is Psychology? - Ellen Pastorino & Susann Doyle-Portillo (page 145)
NARCOLEPSY – Narcolepsy is a rare sleep disorder in which the individual experiences periods of REM sleep (deep sleep) while participating in alert activities during the day. Patients suffering from narcolepsy may also suffer from cataplexy, a type of muscle paralysis causing various falling injuries. (See video below) It is believed a loss of neurons in the hypothalamus in the brain causes a lack of production of the chemical hypocretin, responsible for regulating the sleep/wake cycle. The recommended life style treatment options for patients with narcolepsy include taking 3 or more scheduled sleep times throughout the day, avoidance of heavy meals and alcohol. There are two FDA approved drugs specifically for the treatment of narcolepsy: Modafinil for excessive, uncontrollable, daytime sleepiness and sodium oxybate, for cataplexy.
What is Psychology? - Ellen Pastorino & Susann Doyle-Portillo (page 145 and 146)
A young woman with narcolepsy/cataplexy talks about her disorder and the effect it has on her life. I find it moving when people share their lives to educate others.
SLEEP APNEA – Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder in which a person stops breathing while they are sleeping causing them to gasp or snore loudly waking themselves and or their partners up throughout the night. There are three types of sleep apnea: obstructive, central and mixed. Obstructive sleep apnea is usually caused when the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses and closes while the individual is sleeping. Central sleep apnea is when the brain doesn’t send a signal to the muscles to breathe. Mixed sleep apnea is when the individual suffers from both obstructive and central sleep apnea. Sleep apnea affects more than 18 million Americans and can have serious and life-shortening consequences: high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, automobile accidents caused by falling asleep at the wheel, diabetes, depression, and other ailments. Obesity, being overweight, and the use of alcohol and drugs increase an individual’s chances of developing sleep apnea. There are various treatment options for sleep apnea; weight loss treatment program when obesity or being overweight is an issue, positional sleeping, decongestants, positive airway pressure devices and surgery are all useful treatment options.
•Sleep apnea is also considered as one of the causes of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). SIDS is an unexplained syndrome that affects newborns with an average age of 4 months. There are suggestions parents can follow to limit the risks to their babies.
•No bed sharing with adults, cribs should have firm mattresses and contain no other items (toys, blankets, pillows, bumper pads, etc.)
•Maternal smoking is hazardous to your babies health and puts them at a higher risk level for SIDS.
•The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends newborns sleep on their backs or sides, not on their stomachs.
What is Psychology? - Ellen Pastorino & Susann Doyle-Portillo (page 146)
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This is an excellent post that provides your fellow classmates a wealth of additional information on some major sleep disorders and concerns!
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Thank you... I found this to be very interesting and have had issues with insomnia myself...and an alarming experience with the prescription Ambien. Once I looked at some of the postings from other patients and their experiences I realized I wasn't the only one to have a bizarre episode. Needless to say, I have chosen to follow the non-drug therapy options I included in my prompt with successful results.
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I agree that this is an excellent discussion! The links and video are a great addition to further reading and information about these disorders. It is very comprehensive.