| The Sleep in America polls - conducted on behalf of | | | | So the lack of sleep is often driven by some unfinished |
| the National Sleep Foundation report that about 20% | | | | psychological business rather than the lack of sleep |
| of Americans get less than 6 hours of sleep on | | | | causing the unfinished business! |
| average, and the number of Americans that report | | | | Insomnia, the most common sleep complaint is not |
| that they get 8 hours has continued to decrease. | | | | defined by total sleep time but by trouble falling or |
| Recent evidence shows that chronic sleep deprivation | | | | staying asleep. It is the inability to obtain sleep that is |
| increases risk of early death. Studies show that people | | | | sufficiently long enough or good enough to feel rested |
| who get less sleep are at increased risk for heart | | | | the next day. |
| attacks and disease. Research also shows a link | | | | Depression has been shown to be a cause of |
| between chronic sleep deprivation and overweight and | | | | insomnia; however, for many people, untreated |
| obesity. | | | | insomnia may be a risk factor for depression. It's the |
| The affect on our daily lives was demonstrated in the | | | | classic chicken and egg question. |
| 2005 Sleep in America survey. Twenty-eight percent, | | | | Many insomniacs may have a condition called |
| 28%, of working adults said they had missed work, | | | | hyperarousal - it's like they're always on alert, so they |
| events and activities, or made errors at work because | | | | rarely sleep. There is overwhelming evidence that |
| of sleep-related issues during the three months prior to | | | | many insomniacs have a constitutional predisposition to |
| the survey. | | | | be hyperaroused 24 hours a day. They have trouble |
| Laboratory studies have confirmed this impact on | | | | sleeping, then they're fatigued, washed out, have |
| performance. In one experiment, 16 young adults were | | | | trouble concentrating during the day but they're not |
| allowed only five hours of sleep for seven nights. As | | | | sleepy. They never take naps, because the same |
| the week wore on, the volunteers ability to perform | | | | thing happens - they can't sleep during the day either. |
| simple tasks decreased markedly. | | | | There seems to be a genetic component to both |
| It goes without saying that many more sleep related | | | | hyperarousal and insomnia. Neurological scans show |
| problems go unreported. Lifestyle choices and the | | | | differences between the brains of insomniacs and |
| stresses associated with modern 24/7 lifestyles are | | | | non-insomniacs.They usually have a family history of |
| the most common causes of sleep problems, | | | | insomnia and many people have had it since childhood. |
| especially of insomnia. | | | | It takes very little for them to lose sleep - a test the |
| But many disturbed sleep states are directly related to | | | | next day, an upcoming trip. They suffer insomnia for |
| psychological issues, unresolved grief or loss issues, | | | | what seems like very trivial reasons, but it's probably |
| post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders and | | | | constitutional. They are very fragile sleepers because |
| depression. As a mental health specialist, most of my | | | | they are predisposed to developing insomnia. |
| clients show up in my office unable to complete a full | | | | One of the most common symptoms of PTSD is |
| night's sleep, which means they never reach REM | | | | sleep disturbance reflected in nightmares, inability to go |
| sleep and experience the restorative effects of | | | | to sleep or stay asleep, heart irregularities during the |
| healthy sleep. Ineffably, their sleep state improves as | | | | night, and sleep walking/talking. Same is true for |
| their mental state improves. | | | | anxiety or sometimes depression. |