Why Most Adults Are Not Getting Enough Sleep

Sleep is one luxury many mature adults, as well as young adults simply don’t spend enough time doing. It’s been estimated that nearly 60 million Americans suffer from some sort of sleep disorder. Getting enough sleep is one of the most important parts of healthy living that most adults, and many adolescents, often neglect. Even people who exercise regularly, do not smoke and avoid drinking excessive alcohol often only get a fraction of the sleep their bodies really need to thrive.

Sleep disorders are not confined to one small segment of the population. All over the globe sleep disorders are on the rise do to increased stress levels associated with modern life, increased caffeine consumption and a continued dependence on technology which goes against our natural sleep cycle. Here are some of the more common sleep conditions seen in many people today:

Sleep Apnea: This sleep malady causes a person to stop breathing shortly while the person is sleeping. Sleep apnea can be classified as obstructive, which means soft tissues in the rear of the throat collapse slightly while a person is sleeping, momentarily obstructing the airway and disturbing sleep. Central sleep apnea occurs when a person’s brain actually “forgets” to tell the body to continue breathing during the night. Snoring is a classic symptom of sleep apnea. Both types of apnea disturb sleep patterns and though they may not entirely wake a person up, they do disrupt the deep level a sleep a person craves.

Bed Wetting As an Adult: Normally only considered a sleep issue which plagues small children, it is estimated that over 7 million adult suffer from bed wetting episodes, though those numbers are believed to be under reported. Bed wetting as an adult occurs when a mature person or adolescent does not wake to eliminate urinate during the night time sleep cycle. Obviously, this may lead to a fear going to sleep, increase anxiety about sleeping and ultimately disrupt sleep cycles which can worsen the condition.

RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome): This sleep disorder causes a person to feel a creeping, tingling or even pulling sensation in the leg when they lay down to go to sleep or sit for long periods of time at night. RLS will often disrupt sleep and can be more than just annoying if they happen every night. Some medical professionals think that RLS may also be related to night time calf cramps.

You may want to speak with your primary care physician if you suffer from any of these conditions yourself. Getting the correct amount of sleep is critically important to your overall well-being and can dramatically improve your quality of living. All of these sleep disorders are treatable and some are preventable.

Not getting enough sleep can negatively impact your overall well-being. Visit our site to learn more about some possible causes of leg cramps and the options available to you.

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