H E A L T H Y
L I V I N G
When NOT
sleeping
becomes a
nightmare
By Kelly Burgess
F
eeling tired after a bad night's
sleep may seem like an inevitable
part of life, but sometimes it's a
sign of a more serious problem
that can have a big effect on your
health if you ignore it.
"Sleep disorder is a broad general term that
covers a number of issues," says Dr. Hitendra
K. Patel, medical director of the sleep program
at WellStar Health System, Marietta, Ga.
"Insomnia is one that can affect the quality of
your life, but what is more concerning to the
medical professional is sleep apnea, which is
a serious health problem that needs to
be addressed."
SHUTTERSTOCK
WHEN YOU CAN'T SLEEP
Insomnia is the inability to fall asleep, or waking up in the night and having trouble going
back to sleep, and it's extremely common.
"Virtually everyone has a periodic problem
with insomnia," says Dr. James Pagel, medical director of the Sleep Center of Southern
Colorado at Parkview Medical Center, Pueblo,
Colo. "Almost 80 percent of people will have
a week or two when they experience transient
insomnia. When it persists for about three
months, we start to call it chronic."
There are many causes of disordered sleep,
says Dr. Meredith Cousin, a neurologist at
Franciscan St. Francis Health in Indianapolis.
"Sleep onset issues are generally caused by
poor sleep hygiene, which means doing things
that sabotage your sleep," says Dr. Cousin.
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