It seems that a good number of sleep apnea patients have problems with this condition. According to the National library of Medicine and National Institute of Health bruxism rarely occurs alone and that many of those who have it also have sleep apnea.

One possible cure would be a dental device which would prevent the teeth from clenching and grinding. But many feel that dental devices only help those with mild sleep apnea. Of course if you didn’t have sleep apnea, the dental device would probably cure the bruxism.

The cpap machine might help with your teeth clenching and grinding as well as the sleep apnea. The continuous air would keep your mouth open as well as your teeth.

 Why does anyone get night terrors?

 There are many reasons why a person would have a dream so intense that they would wake up screaming, not only waking up and screaming, some individual have actually jumped out of bed and ran through their house screaming till they woke up exhausted but still terrorized.

 The root causes of night terror are:

1. Emotional stress that you may be going through at the time can set off night terrors.
2. Alcohol and certain medications can also be a factor.
3. If you haven’t sleep in a long time (sleep deprivation) your mind may play tricks on you.
4. Migraine headaches have been known to cause night terrors.
5. Sleep apnea and other sleep disorders should also be considered as a source of night terror.

 In a number of people who have night terror, they also have had problems with anxiety and depression issues.

 Who usually gets night terror?

Children more than anyone have night terrors; boys and girls get them in equal number. It is not as prevalent with adults’ especially senior citizens. Sleepwalking usually accompanies night terror.

 Treatment is limited with children having night terror. Usually the parent will keep an eye on the child so they don’t get hurt. In most cases night terror goes away. With adults the doctor may suggest a sleep study to ensure there isn’t a more serious problem.

Obstructive sleep apnea is where there is blockage of the airway in the back of the throat. This blockage causes the sleep apnea sufferer to wake up hundreds of times a night because the brain has stopped receiving oxygen.  Millions of people suffer from this all over the world. There are also millions that have this condition and don’t know it.

In order to find out if you have sleep apnea you would go to a doctor, either a ENT or a pulmonologist (lung doctor). After describing your sleeping patterns they would probably set you up for a sleep study.

A sleep study is an overnight study in a hospital or specialized office. There are rooms set up as bedrooms with video cameras that are connected into another room where sleep techs observe your sleeping. You are also connected to wires that measure your brain waves and the number of times that you wake up when your airway is blocked.

The test takes all night and the tech will send the report to your doctor.

After examining the report the doctor can then determine whether you have sleep apnea or not. If you do have sleep apnea the usual cure is the cpap machine. The cpap machine blows air through a tube into a mask that fits over your face. This continuous air will force the airway to stay open making sure that you don’t stop breathing in the night. The only drawback to using the cpap is that not everyone is comfortable wearing a mask at night and the sound of the machine can also be cumbersome.

Alternatives to the cpap mask are dental devices and surgery, which is usually the last resort for sleep apnea.

Many people believe that all sleep apnea patients are overweight. That isn’t necessarily true. An enlarged tongue and tonsils  also may block the airway.  Certain face shapes may also cause sleep apnea.

Insomnia is being unable to fall asleep and being unable to remain asleep. The quality of sleep is more important than the quantity of sleep regarding insomnia. There are three basic type of insomnia. Transient lasts a week. Short term lasts about 3 weeks and chronic insomnia is anything longer than that. Insomnia is usually caused by psychological problems such as anxiety, stress and depression. It can also be caused by medical condition such as high blood pressure and hormonal changes. Cognitive Behavior treatment is considered one of the best ways to cure insomnia. Sleeping pills may help in the short term but they don’t fix the underlying problems.

Restless leg syndrome is a neurological disorder that causes a peculiar sensation on the legs which in turn causes the need to move the legs uncontrollable. The cause of RLS is unknown but some connect it to low iron or anemia or reaction to medications. There is no cure for this disorder.

Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder that is connected to EDS (excessive daytime sleepiness). Narcolepsy sufferers will often fall asleep during the day at any time and any place. This condition may be caused by genetics. Medication and therapy are used to treat this disorder.

Sleeping disorders such as sleep apnea and insomnia are common factors in causing sleep deprivation.

 Lack of sleep can cause high blood pressure as well as a rise in cholesterol.  Sleep apnea patients are the most at danger when it comes to heart disease.

 The inability to metabolize glucose brought on by sleep deprivation can lead to Type 2 Diabetes.

 In areas of the brain lack of sleep can lead to the decline of memory and certain learning skills. In some parts of the brain, such as the prefrontal lobe, there is more activity due to overcompensation.

  Hypothalamic neurons produce neurotransmitters called GABA, which stop neurons from firing which have serotonin, histamine, norepinephrine, glutamate and hypocretin in them. This action promotes sleep. So if REM is never achieved as it is with sleep apnea patients this never occurs.

It has been suggested that between 7 and 8 hours of sleep is enough for adults. Although this isn’t set in stone, many people find that they need far less than 8 hours of sleep.

Babies and teenagers tend to need more sleep. Babies require a lot more, up to 16 hours. Although I don’t remember my son sleeping that much when he was a baby!

It is important to remember that sleep should be consistent. If you sleep 8 hours a night, make sure to sleep 8 hours every night. If you don’t your inner clock or your circadian rhythm may be disturbed.

 And it isn’t just the quantity of sleep that is important but also the quality of sleep. If you lie in bed tossing and turning for 8 hours there will be little rest.