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Sleeping Disorders

Sleeping Disorders
Manuel Larragoity
University of Texas at El Paso

Sleeping Disorders

Sometimes disorders are common and even go unnoticed. Sleep disorders usually go
unnoticed and are not rare. Therefore an individual might not even know that he or she has a
sleeping disorder. The following essay will describe insomnia, narcolepsy, and sleep apnea, as
well as what causes them and how they can be treated.
Sleep is a something that every person experiences on a daily basis. It cannot be avoided
and is a very important part of everyones daily life. Not having a good night sleep can make a
person have trouble interacting socially, develop memory problems, difficulty thinking clearly,
and remaining alert as said by (Carlton International Media Limited 2010). Not having a good
nights sleep doesnt just affect a persons mind but also his or her body. Sleep performs a vital
restorative function and has an important bearing on physical well-being states by (U.S.
department of health, education, and welfare, 1978). People are more prone to gaining weight if
[they] dont have a good night sleep as found by (Carlton International Media Limited 2010).
Weight gain can then give individuals a number of various very serious diseases as said by
(Carlton International Media Limited, 2010).
Insomnia or the inability to sleep a normal amount each night as defined by (U.S.
department of health, education, and welfare, 1978) is a very serious sleep disorder. According to
(Mallon, Broman, kerstedt, Hetta, 2014) 10.7% of adults have difficulty falling asleep and
staying asleep. Insomnia can arise from poor sleeping conditions, psychological stress or a
previous medical disorder as explained by (U.S. department of health, education, and welfare,
1978). Insomnia can arise from such things as the neighbors hi-fi set says (U.S. department of
health, education, and welfare, 1978). The body will not be able to sleep due to the unusual
problems. The next day the person might feel his heart rate beating rapidly, and the person
might be lacking alertness according to (U.S. department of health, education, and welfare,

Sleeping Disorders

1978). (U.S. department of health, education, and welfare, 1978) also states, that some of
people that suffer from insomnia do sleep but the quality of sleep is greatly altered. The high
voltage sleep is diminished. According to (U.S. department of health, education, and welfare,
1978), High voltage sleep is the deep sleep that normally takes place in early part of the night.
(U.S. department of health, education, and welfare, 1978) states that insomniacs also have alpha
rhythm, which normally is seen in patients during periods of quiet waking but whose eyes are
still closed.
Insomnia can be treated in several ways. An insomniac who goes to his or her doctor for
treatment ask you several questions and according to (U.S. department of health, education, and
welfare, 1978) these questions are, When did it first occur? Do you know what brought it on?
Financial or social anxieties? Worried about family or friends? Sleeping conditions? Do you
exercise? Jet lag? Are you depressed? Once you have answered these questions (U.S.
department of health, education, and welfare, 1978) states that the physician may suggest
removing the cause of the situational insomnia. A further method may be altering or moderating
the patients lifestyle. (U.S. department of health, education, and welfare, 1978) also states that,
if the use of drugs is indicated, the physician will prescribe them. Some of these drugs that you
can be treated with are Ambien, Belsomra, Lunesta, Rozerem, or even over the counter sleeping
aids according to (Marina Katz 2012) These are some of the ways to treat insomnia whether it is
with drugs or by simply changing you everyday life to one you enjoy and relaxes you as said
by (U.S. department of health, education, and welfare, 1978).
Another sleep disorder is Narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder
characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, hypnagogic hallucinations, sleep
paralysis, and disturbed nocturnal sleep patterns as stated by (De la Herrn-Arita, Garca-

Sleeping Disorders

Garca, 2014). (National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke
2003) states At various times throughout the day, people with narcolepsy experience fleeting
urges to sleep. If the urge becomes overwhelming, patients fall asleep for periods lasting from a
few seconds to several minutes. In rare cases, some people may remain asleep for an hour or
longer. This can cause serious problems because since this can happen at any time, it can
happen when the patient is something that may endanger the lives of other, for example driving,
cooking, operating machinery, and many more. (De la Herrn-Arita, Garca-Garca, 2014) states
that, approximately 0.02% of the work population have narcolepsy, and causes disabilities in
24% of the subjects. Approximately 2,000 have this disorder according to (National Institute
of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke 2003).
Narcolepsy is caused by the specific loss of hypothalamic neurons producing two
hypocretin peptides with high homology with each other according to (De la Herrn-Arita,
Garca-Garca, 2014). Narcolepsy cannot yet be cured but EDS and cataplexy, which are the
most disabling symptoms can be controlled with drug treatments as explained by (National
Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke 2003). EDS meaning the
excessive daytime sleepiness feeling, and cataplexy being a sudden loss of muscle tone that
leads to feelings of weakness and a loss of voluntary muscle control according to (National
Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke 2003). One of the drugs used
to treat EDS is non-amphetamine wake-promoting drug called modafinil as described by
(National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke 2003). Also the
(National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke, 2003)
recommends Xyrem. (National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and
Stroke 2003).

Sleeping Disorders

Another sleeping disorder is sleep apnea. There are two forms of sleep apnea: obstructive
sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is is a common disorder in which [a patient
has] one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while [he or she] sleeps, stated in (U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, 2012). These pauses in breathing can last from a
few minutes to a few minutes as stated in (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
2012). People affected by sleep apnea will often experience interrupted sleep and will move out
of deep sleep and into light sleep as stated by (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
2012). Because they will often wake up during sleep or go into a light sleep according to (U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, 2012) they will suffer from excessive daytime
sleepiness. Sleep apnea is more common in overweight people or children with enlarged
tonsils, but can happen in anyone as stated in (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
2012).
Another form of sleep apnea is central sleep apnea which according to (U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services, 2012) is less common. This type of sleep apnea occurs if the
area of [the] brain that controls breathing doesn't send the correct signals to [the] breathing
muscles as stated by (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012).
Sleep apnea according to (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012) often
goes undiagnosed. People usually dont know that they suffer from this sleep disorder, and
therefore do not treat it. This disorder is a condition that requires long term management with
mouthpieces, surgery, and breathing devices, as stated by (U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, 2012). Although incurable it is still very treatable so that the patient maybe
experience a better night sleep and not suffer from excessive daytime sleepiness as stated by
(U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012).

Sleeping Disorders

Sleep is something that cannot be avoided. It happens every day and everyone
participates in it and everyone needs it. Many people suffer from sleep disorders such as
insomnia, narcolepsy, or sleep apnea. These disorders greatly influence their lives in a negative
way whether by having trouble staying alert and/or trouble interacting socially in accordance
with (Carlton International Media Limited 2010). Because sleep disorders have such serious
consequences, people with sleep disorders should go see a doctor in order to be treated so the
sleep disorder will not affect their daily lives.

References
De la Herrn-Arita, A. K., & Garca-Garca, F. (2014). Narcolepsy as an ImmuneMediated Disease. Sleep Disorders, 2014, 792687. doi:10.1155/2014/792687
Katz, M. (2012, August 2). Drugs to Treat insomnia. Retrieved November 23, 2014, from
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/insomnia-medications?page=2

Khan, M. T., & Franco, R. A. (2014). Complex Sleep Apnea Syndrome. Sleep
Disorders, 2014, 798487. doi:10.1155/2014/798487

Mallon, L., Broman, J.-E., kerstedt, T., & Hetta, J. (2014). Insomnia in Sweden: A
Population-Based Survey. Sleep Disorders, 2014, 843126.
doi:10.1155/2014/843126
Michaelson, P. (2012, July 9). insomnia [Picture]. Retrieved from
http://www.whywesuffer.com/taming-the-little-monsters-of-insomnia/
National Institute of Mental Health (U.S.). (1978). Insomnia. Rockville, Md.: Dept. of Health,
Education, and Welfare, Public Health Service, Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health
Administration, National Institute of Mental Health.
National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke. (2003). Narcolepsy
fact sheet. Bethesda, MD: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke,
National Institutes of Health. Retrieved from http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS53287
PubMed. (2013, April 10). Narcolepsy [Picture]. Retrieved from
http://http://www.medindia.net/patients/patientinfo/sleep/narcolepsy.htm

Sleeping Disorders

Sleep to live institute. (2013). Sleep Apnea [Picture].

Treating insomnia: The importance of getting a good night's sleep [Video file]. (2010). In Films
On
Demand.
Retrieved
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2,
2014,
from
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What is sleep apnea. (2012, July 12). Retrieved November 20, 2014, from
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/sleepapnea

Sleeping Disorders