Sleep Disorders - The Facts

What is sleep?

We need sleep in order to give our bodies time to rest, build up strength and heal. It is essential for our physical functioning and mental wellbeing.

What are sleep disorders?

Did you know there are at least 78 recognised sleep disorders?²

These range from short-term sleep disturbances, to insomnia (the inability to get to sleep and/or stay asleep) to narcolepsy (the inability to stay awake).

Often, sleep problems are short term and self-help measures can be effective
in aiding a healthy sleep pattern.

How do I identify a sleep disorder?

You may have a sleep disorder if:

You find it hard getting off to sleep
You frequently wake in the night
You wake too early in the morning
You still feel tired after sleep

What is insomnia?

Sominex is designed for the relief of occasional sleeplessness. However, insomnia is more severe and is defined as difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, and can result in sleepiness, lowered concentration and irritability.

Short term insomnia can last from a few nights to three weeks and is often caused by:

Stress
Change in environmental noise levels
Extreme change in temperature
A different routine, perhaps due to jetlag
Side effects from medicines

Long term insomnia that lasts for 3 weeks or longer³ and is often a result from a combination
of factors, such as:

Underlying mental or physical problems
Behavioural factors such as too much caffeine or alcohol or a consistent disruption to your routine,
such as frequently changing work shifts.

Other sleep disorders include:

Sleep apnoea (a breathing problem that occurs during the night, normally accompanied by snoring)

Based on information from: www.nhsdirect.co.uk, www.mentalhealth.org.uk

If you have a persistent sleep problem, contact your GP as sleep problems
can sometimes be symptoms of other conditions.

Did you know?

We sleep around 90 minutes less than we did in the 1920s?
Some scientists believe sleep deprivation contributes to heart disease and premature aging
Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder, affecting up to a third of adults every year ⁴