Sleep Soundly Every Night, Feel Fantastic Every Day (3 page)

            
Answers to Your Questions

                   
Sleep Apnea and ADHD

                   
Sleepiness

            
Self-Check: Your Child's Sleep Habits

            
Conclusion: Sleep Well

                  
Start Where You Are

                  
Use What You Have

                  
Do What You Can

             
Appendices

                  
Better Sleep Quick Reference

                  
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Checklist

            
Glossary

            
Notes

            
Acknowledgments

            
Index

 

 

Your life is a reflection of how you sleep, and how you sleep is a reflection of your life.

—DR. RAFAEL PELAYO

We need restorative sleep to survive and succeed. Without restorative sleep, we are out of sync with ourselves, each other, and with nature. Most likely you have picked up this book because you feel out of sync. You have trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep. You wake frequently in the middle of the night. You wake up tired. Or maybe it's your partner, child, or loved one who is keeping you up at night. Perhaps you are experiencing pain, fatigue, headaches, leg cramps, hyperactivity, chronic stress, or other symptoms you want to change or cure and suspect lack of sleep is playing a role. You know something is wrong and wonder if it's a common problem with a simple fix or something that requires professional help.

Sleep Soundly Every Night, Feel Fantastic Every Day
can help you find the answers you are looking for. It will help you identify and understand your symptoms and guide you to the most likely problem or disorder. It also offers
practical treatment solutions to help you get a good night's sleep right away and to determine if seeing a sleep expert is right for you. It will show you how to sleep deeply and experience the joy of a good night's rest.

We have come a long way in thinking of sleep as a passive state. Rather, we now know how active the sleep time is for the “neurobiological state,” which regulates several functions of the body, including temperature, memory and learning consolidation, and metabolism. Disrupted sleep or a lack of sleep negatively affects these functions. Short-term sleep deprivation could result in

1.
 
Decreased concentration

2.
 
Irritability

3.
 
Bad mood

4.
 
Tremors

5.
 
Hallucinations

6.
 
Diminished immune function

Continued sleep deprivation results in an increase in metabolic rate, in appetite, and in body temperature, immune system failure, and decreased brain activity.

Lack of sleep dramatically impacts your health, ability to function, and well-being. Yet, Americans' sleep time over the last century has decreased by 20%. It is important to address problems immediately—and don't give up! A sleep solution
is
available for you and I will help you find it.

The self-test in
chapter 1
will help you pinpoint your symptoms and direct you to the most useful chapters in this book to help you resolve them.
Everyone
should read
Part One
on the importance of sleep for your health and essentials for getting a good night's sleep. You may be
inclined to skip ahead to the chapter on your particular problem, but I can't emphasize enough how important it is to start here. Once you learn about the negative long-term effects of poor sleep and how restorative sleep positively affects your physical health, executive thinking skills, clarity, and optimism in
chapter 2
, you will be eager to make the lifestyle changes outlined in the next chapter.
Chapter 3
covers good sleep practices or good sleep hygiene. Since good sleep hygiene may resolve your issues or lessen their severity, make implementing these recommendations your first priority on your journey to good sleep.

The next three parts cover the most common sleep problems and disorders:

Part Two
, Impaired Sleep, addresses three common sleep disorders that keep you from getting to sleep, staying asleep, or managing early morning awakenings. They are called dyssomnias and include:

  
Restless legs syndrome, an intense, irresistible urge to move the legs in the evening.

  
Insomnia, an inability to fall asleep or maintain sleep. It is the most prevalent sleep problem in America.

  
Circadian rhythm disorders, when your internal sleep clock is out of sync because you travel or work a night shift.

  
Sleep apnea, pauses in breathing or instances of shallow or infrequent breathing during sleep.

Part Three
explains parasomnias, behaviors like walking, eating, or having sex that occur during sleep, including:

  
Sleepwalking, an arousal disorder where the sleeper gets out of bed and walks.

  
Sexsomnia, a disorder in which a person acts out sexual behavior while asleep.

  
Night eating disorders, a persistent pattern of late-night binge eating.

  
Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder, which is characterized by a lack of the usual sleep paralysis occurring during REM sleep. This allows the sleeper to act out any dreams.