If you toss and turn each night before you are finally able to fall asleep, you are not alone.  Altogether, approximately 60 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders.  Forty million suffer from chronic sleep disorders, while another 20 million suffer from occasional, milder sleep disorders.

Distinguishing The Types Of Sleep Disorders

There are three distinct categories that sleep disorders are typically categorized by.  These categories are: lack of sleep, disturbed sleep, and excessive sleep.  Each category describes the amount of sleep the person affected gets in relation to how much they need.  The average adult needs nine hours of sleep.

Lack Of Sleep

The first category of sleep disorders, lack of sleep, is also commonly known as insomnia.  It is not uncommon to experience insomnia occasionally; however, if it occurs often, then it may be a sign of chronic insomnia.  Failing to get the proper amount of sleep can disrupt daily life in many ways.  Many people who suffer from chronic insomnia worry during the day about not being able to fall asleep, which can contribute to the problem.

There are many consequences of insomnia.  Lack of sleep is known to impact judgment, memory, hand-eye coordination, well-being, and reaction-time.  Additionally, sleep deprivation can damage the immune system.

Disturbed Sleep

Disturbed sleep is the second classification of sleep disorders, and it describes the disruption of normal sleep.  The most common type of disorder classified in this category is obstructive sleep apnea.  Obstructive sleep apnea is caused either by a problem with the windpipe or a neurological disorder, and it results in loud snoring and blocked airways.  Eventually, this sleep disorder can cause a stroke.

Other types of sleep disorders that can be categorized as “disturbed sleep” include Restless Leg Syndrome and Periodic Limb Movement Disorder.  Both are genetic disorders that cause involuntary movement in the arms and legs during sleep.

Excessive Sleep

Finally, sleep disorders can be classified in the category “excessive sleep.”  This is also known as narcolepsy.  Narcolepsy causes patients to have sleep attacks, lasting for as little as a few minutes to as long as half an hour!

Complications of narcolepsy include cataplexy and hypnagogic hallucinations.  Cataplexy is weakness or paralysis of the muscles, and hypnagogic hallucinations are vivid dreams that occur during the stage in between being awake and being asleep.

Getting Help And Support

If you suffer from any type of sleep affliction, you should consult with your doctor to determine what form of treatment would be best for you.  Doctors have the ability to prescribe medications that can help you live a normal life.  They can also recommend discussion groups that you can turn to for support from others who suffer from sleep disorders.

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The Hidden Dangers Of Drugs For Insomnia

Many of us rely on drugs to cure our ailments. Yes, drugs can help cure different kinds of ailments but these drugs can also have some side effects on our bodies. For the past years, several studies pointed out the hidden dangers of drugs for insomnia. Mainly that they can be addictive in that the body can become immune and larger and larger doses are required. Leading to some wicked side effects..

Many of these studies show that drugs for insomnia can cause drug induced stupors. The people who are taking these medication often find it difficult to concentrate on what they are doing. Many cases of driving while sleeping are directly related to drugs for insomnia. There are now some people who question the appropriateness of prescribing drugs for insomnia to some people, especially to children and adolescence.

Aside from driving while sleeping, drugs for insomnia are found to cause hallucinations and nightmares among people who are taking them. Some of these nightmares can be quite violent that the person taking drugs for insomnia gets some really violent jolts that they wake up screaming and sweating.

Another hidden danger in taking drugs for insomnia is that your body may develop immunity to these drugs. Once your body becomes immune to the drugs, you will need to increase the doses to achieve the desired effect. Some people who are desperate to get some sleep tend to double or triple their doses of sleeping pills just to get some rest.

The danger here is that some people often overestimate their capacity to handle the drug that they end up in a drug induced coma. There have been many reported cases of people dying in their sleep after they have accidentally taken an overdone of sleeping pills.

Should We Avoid Using Drugs For Insomnia?

Although there are some sectors that insist on the use of natural treatments for insomnia, some people who are chronic insomniacs simply can no longer sleep without the help of drugs for insomnia. For people who are really having so much trouble getting some sleep, drugs for insomnia may be the only answer.

In these cases, doctors who prescribe to their patients sleeping pills should be very careful when giving instructions to their patients. Doctors should warn their patients to follow the instructions on taking the sleeping pills properly to avoid accidents. Family members and other people who are living with the patient should be involved in monitoring the patient who is taking sleeping pills just to make sure that the patient is sticking to the original dosage. It is necessary that is patient is not taking other drugs that will interfere with the prescribed insomnia medication.

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