Compared with general populations, patients with
Sleep Apnea have:
- Two times the incidence of hypertension (high blood
pressure).
- Three times as much coronary artery disease.
- Four times the rate of cerebrovascular disease
(stroke).
Do children suffer from sleep
disorders?
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, 3% of
children between the ages of 2-8 years are afflicted by Obstructive Sleep
Apnea (OSA). Studies indicate that children with OSA tend to have
behavioral problems similar to those of children with attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder. A recent study of first grade students found that
18% of the students in the lowest 10% of the class have OSA. Treatment of
OSA led to a significant improvement in school performance.
What
is Insomnia?
There
are three main types of insomnia including:
·
Sleep Onset Insomnia
(difficulty falling asleep
·
Sleep Maintenance
Insomnia (difficulty staying asleep), and/or
·
Early Morning
Awakening Insomnia (waking early with difficulty returning to sleep)
For a diagnosis of
insomnia to be appropriate, individuals must also report distress about
sleep or difficulties functioning (at work, school, or socially) because of
sleep problems.
Important
things to consider…
·
Just as many women
experience sleep problems as men. Hormonal fluctuations related to
menstruation, pregnancy and menopause all affect sleep.
·
Children require more
sleep but also suffer from sleep disorders. Our sleep specialist at Clifton
Center for Sleep Disorders specializes in pediatrics sleep disorders and
works with parents to address lack of sleep and the relationship between a
child’s sleep and behavior.
·
Older adults
incorrectly accept less sleep as part of the aging process. Medical
conditions affecting seniors are closely related to sleep.
·
Lack of sleep affects
your mental well-being. It causes irritability, mood swings, anxiety and
depression.
·
Lack of sleep affects
your performance. Your concentration, memory, and decision-making skills
are compromised. Each year 200,000 auto accidents are sleep-related.
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