Disease, Illness and Condition Library
Sleep Disorders
ones ability to fall asleep, stay asleep, or that produce abnormal behaviors during sleep, such as night terrors or sleep walking. Most of us feel terrible when sleep deprivation kicks in. Sleep is essential for survival and good health, but why sleep is needed and exactly how it benefits people are not fully understood. Individual requirements for sleep vary widely; healthy adults may require as few as 4 hours or as many as 10 hours of sleep every day. Some medical experts suggest the number needed for teens and adolescents is 12 hours or more. Most people sleep at night. However, many people must sleep during the day to work around their work schedules – a situation that often leads to sleep disorders. How long a person sleeps and how rested a person feels after walking can be influenced by a number of factors, including levels of excitement or emotional stress levels, age, diet, and use of drugs. For example, some drugs make a person sleepy, and others make will keep you awake. Some food components or additives, such as caffeine, strong spices, and monosodium glutamate (MSG), may affect sleep. Older people tend to fall asleep earlier, to awaken earlier, and to be less tolerant of changes in sleep patterns (for example, they may be more prone to jet lag). Compared with younger adults and children, older people are more easily aroused from sleep and awaken more often during the night. Whether older people need less sleep is unclear. Napping during the day may help compensate for poor sleep during the night, but it may also contribute to the problem. Sleep progresses from stage 1 (the lightest level) during which the sleeper can be awakened easily) to stage 4 (the deepest level, during which the sleeper can be awakened only with difficulty). In stage 4, blood pressure is at its lowest, and heart and breathing rates are at their slowest. During REM sleep, electrical activity in the brain is uncharacteristically high, which somewhat resembles that during wakefulness. The eyes move rapidly, and muscles may jerk involuntarily. The rate and depth of breathing increase, but the muscles, except for the diaphragm, are greatly relaxed – more so than during the deepest levels of non-REM sleep. Most dreaming occurs during REM sleep. Most talking during sleep, night terrors, and sleep walking occur during stages 3 and 4. Usually, sleep disorders can be diagnosed based on the medical history, including a description of the current problem, and the results of a physical examination. When the diagnosis is uncertain, doctors may recommend evaluation in a sleep laboratory. The evaluation consists of polysomnography and observation of unusual movements during an entire night’s sleep. Polysomnography includes recording and monitoring of breathing, heart rate, and other functions; electroencephalography (EEG), which records the brain’s electrical activity; and electro-oculography, which records eye movement during REM sleep. Improving Sleep (Adults) * Relax: Stress and worry are major impediments to sleep. People who are not sleepy at bedtime can relax by reading or taking a warm bath. People can aim to leave their problems at the bedroom door. Avoiding too much mental stimulation during the hour or so before bedtime can help. I do realize that eliminating stress altogether is not likely, especially under difficult circumstances, but a reduction in stress or anxiety may be just enough to lead to a good nights sleep. * Have a snack: I know many of our female readers are screaming at the computer screen right now but hunger can interfere with your ability to doze off. So, consider a light, low fat, low calorie snack, preferably warm. * Exercise: Exercise can help people fall asleep naturally. Exercise also produces endorphins which tend to give a person a better outlook on life, thus reducing anxiety. However, exercise late in the evening can stimulate the heart and brain and keep might become an impediment to sleep. * Don’t Just Lay There: When falling asleep is challenging, getting up and do something else in another room may be more effective than lying in bed and trying harder and harder to fall asleep. * Stick to a Regular Sleep Routine: People should go to be at the same time each night and, more importantly, get up at the same time each morning, even on weekends. * Utilize a Body Pillow: A body pillow placed strategically between your legs or elsewhere can make you more comfortable. For those suffering with back problems, lying on your side with a large pillow between the knees may be beneficial. * Stay Away from Certain Substances: Food and beverages that contain alcohol or caffeine (such as coffee, tea, chocolate, and colas) can interfere with sleep, as can appetite suppressants and diuretics. These substances should not be consumed, especially near bedtime. Quitting smoking could help. Drinking large amounts of alcohol in the evening leads to early morning awakenings. * Use the Bedroom Primarily for Sleeping: The bedroom should not be used for eating, reading, watching television, paying bills, or other activities associated with wakefulness. * Create a Pleasant Sleep Environment: The bedroom should be kept dark and quiet with the temperature comfortable. If noises disturb sleep, wearing ear plugs, using a white noise machine or a fan, or installing heavy curtains in the bedroom (to mute outside noises) may help. Improving Sleep (Children) While many of these suggestions are similar there are some modifications and adjustments. Does and Don'ts
* Tire Them Out: Encourage exercise and stimulating activities during the day * A Comfortable Sleeping Environment: Create a soothing and relaxing bedtime environment * Story-Time: Read light-hearted stories before bedtime (Make sure the story is not a frightening one!) * Utilize a Helpful Natural Supplement: Use natural remedies with calmative properties to induce a natural state of slumber Don’t: * Modify Bedtime Activities: Let children watch television or play on the computer directly before bedtime. * Before Bed Snack: Give your children large amounts of food or liquid before bedtime. * Avoid Stomach Irritation: Digestive troubles and a full bladder can lead to bad dreams, restless sleep and bedwetting. * Stimulant Medication: Don’t give your child medications containing stimulants right before bedtime. Herbs Proven Helpful for Adult Sleep Disorders Many plants have sedative properties. Plant commonly prescribed as aids in promoting sleep include: passionflower (Passiflora incarnate), hops (Humulus lupuslus), valerian (Valeriana officinalis), skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora), and chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla). Passionflower and valerian, which have research backing their use, are briefly discussed below. Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata): Passionflower was widely used by the Aztec Indians as a sedative and analgesic. It constituents include harmine. Harmine was initially known as telepathine because of its odd ability to induce a contemplative state and mild euphoria. It was later used by the Germans in World War 2 as “truth serum.” Harmine and related compounds can inhibit the breakdown of serotonin, therefore their use with 5-HTP would have an additive effect. Valerian (Valeriana officinalis): This plant has also been widely used in folk medicine as a sedative and antihypertensive. An early study involving 128 test subjects demonstrated that an aqueous extract of valerian root significantly improved sleep quality. This double blind study compared the effects of the aqueous extract to a placebo and an over the counter preparation of valerian from Switzerland, in both good and poor sleepers. The study measured sleep latency, night awakening, subjective sleep quality, and sleepiness the next morning. From the results, the following conclusions can be made: the aqueous extract of valerian had its most significant effect among people who considered themselves poor or irregular sleepers (especially women), smokers, and those with long sleep latencies; the over the counter valerian produced little sedative effect compared to the placebo; and the use of the commercially available product produced a significant increase in the degree of sleepiness the next morning compared with the aqueous extract or the placebo. Several other clinical studies have supported valerian’s ability to improve sleep quality and relieve insomnia. In one study, valerian showed a considerable positive effect compared to the placebo, with 44% of subjects reporting perfect sleep, and 89% reporting improved sleep. In another double blind study of insomniacs, twenty test subjects received either a combination of valerian root extract (160 mg) and Melissa officinalis extract (80 mg), or a placebo. In the insomniac group, the valerian/Melissa preparation showed an effect comparable to that of the benzodiazepines, as well as an ability to boost deep sleep Stages 3 and 4. The valerian/Melissa preparation did not, however, cause daytime sleepiness, and there was no evidence of diminished concentration or impairment of physical performance.
Encyclopedia of Natural Health
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