Sleeping Disorders

Essay by Bob DoleHigh School, 10th gradeA-, January 1997

download word file, 5 pages 3.3

I am going to start by telling you what a sleeping disorder is. A sleeping disorder is a problem that affects something to do with sleep. Not all sleeping disorders have symptoms that are obvious to a person or their family and friends, here are some common sleep disorders.

· Insomnia

· Sleep Apnea

· Narcolepsy

· Restless Leg Syndrome

· Parasomnia

· Bruxism

· Jet Lag

· Shiftwork

I will be discussing the sleeping disorders listed above and what symptoms they can cause.

Insomnia is a chronic sleeping disorder in which it is very difficult to start and continue sleeping. One of the other symptoms of insomnia that is most recognized is waking up repeatedly in the middle of the night. Lack of sleep leads to two other things, daytime fatigue and restlessness. These are bad on the job and at school while doing tests or other important work.

The amount of sleep that each person needs to feel alert during the day varies. If you have a night of sleep which is much less than the amount of sleep you need, then you will more than likely feel quite sleepy the next day. Thirty-three percent of adults in America have a case of insomnia at least once in their life. Most cases only last one or two nights, but insomnia can continue for weeks or possibly even months.

There have only been three standard types of insomnia that have been identified by doctors. They are as follows:

· Transient insomnia is considered a few sleepless nights that is usually brought on by stress, excitement, or environmental changes. A person could have trouble sleeping the evening before a big meeting or shortly after a breakup or a fight with his girlfriend.

· Short-term insomnia is usually two or three...