Part 2

A person that is suffering may fall asleep during the day and they might sleep for a long period of time. In the article titled, “Sleep Disorders,” David Newton and Donna Olendorf state that “in some cases, patients have difficulty waking up in the morning”. Five to ten percent who look for help are suffering from Hypersomnia. Hypersomnia is most common in young adults ranging from the ages fifteen to thirty. “One possible cause of Hypersomnia could be restless leg syndrome (RLS)” (Newton and Olendorf). During sleep a person could experience cramps and twitches in their calves, which is a result of RLS. “These sensations may keep a person awake and lead to sleep episodes during the day” (Newton and Olendorf). Because of the constant twitching and cramps one could be awakened over a hundred times a night, which leads to not getting the right amount of sleep. Narcolepsy symptoms are different. This sleep disorder affects the brain. A person suffering from Narcolepsy always feels the urge to want to go to sleep.

According to the Sleep Disorders Guide, Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder that affects the control of sleep and wakefulness. Narcolepsy is one of the most serious sleep disorders that also have something to do with the brain. According to the UXL Encyclopedia of Science, “this disorder affects as many as 200,000 people” (Nagel). The need to sleep for people that struggle with is almost sudden: they do not see it coming, it just happens. People who suffer from narcolepsy might also experience sudden muscle weakness, the feeling of being paralyzed, or they could have frightening night mares. “This disorder can begin between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five, but can be noticed at any age” (Sleep Disorder Guide). Narcoleptics go through every day feeling tired. Narcolepsy can be bought on from a person being bored, surprised, or if they are very angry (Nagel). This disorder is genetic which means that it is family oriented. “The main symptoms of narcolepsy are excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), cataplexy (loss of muscle tone), and hallucinations, sleep paralysis, and disrupted night time sleep” (Sleep Disorder Guide). Narcolepsy is managed usually with a stimulant drug. It may not prevent reoccurrence, but it will help for the time being. Having narcolepsy can be very irritating and sometimes scary. As stated in the Sleep Disorders Guide, “Narcolepsy is [often] undiagnosed and, therefore, untreated.”

Sleep apnea disorder is commonly found in middle age men. As referenced in a Sleep Apnea article by WebMD, “Sleep Apnea is a very serious sleep disorder. Sleep apnea occurs when your breathing is disrupted during sleep. Men, overweight people, and people over forty years old are at greater risk for sleep apnea. Untreated sleep apnea can cause hypertension, stroke, or heart failure”. People with sleep apnea can suffer from high blood pressure and can be at risk for heart damage. This disorder is commonly found in middle age men. When a person suffers from this disorder they literally stop breathing while they are sleep, this is why it is very serious that a person knows if they have it or not. Sufferers often snort or snore like hundreds time of night causing them to wake up, which results in not having a good nights sleep. Most cases of sleep apnea are caused by some sort of abnormality in the nose, throat, or other part of the airway (Nagel). Most people who suffer from sleep apnea wear a mask like device over their nose, opening their airway by putting pressure to the throat so it does not collapse during the night. Surgery could possibly be the last result for sleep apnea.

In cases where a person has to get surgery, the airway is opened up to make breathing for easier, and afterwards they will no longer have to wear the mask like device. One way to stay clear of surgery could be that the person stops smoking if they smoke, cut down or eliminate their alcohol intake, avoid drugs, and lose weight it might help their airways open up the way they should. If a person is getting worse their physician might suggest that they have surgery right away. Being obese and suffering from sleep apnea does not go together. This is the only sleep disorder that is life threatening, if not treated properly one could possibly die. “Combined with other factors such as obesity, it can cause death.” (Newton and Olendorf) There are a variety of sleep disorders causing many people to suffer.