Insomnia in South Africa

Insomnia is a sleeping disorder characterized by persistent difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep despite the opportunity. It is typically followed by functional impairment while awake. Insomniacs have been known to complain about being unable to close their eyes or "rest their mind" for more than a few minutes at a time.

Having sufficient restful sleep is a critical human requirement. It is vital to emotional and physical well being. Most adults sleep between 6 and 8 hours per day, without interruption. A few nights of poor sleep do no harm, but prolonged sleep disturbances can have serious consequences.

The Physiology of Sleep

People function according to a natural cycle that repeats itself about every 24 hours. This is known as the circadian rhythm, and it governs our sleep-wake cycles. As it gets dark, the cells in the retina of the eye send a message directly to a part of the brain called the hypothalamus, which then signals the pineal gland located in the hypothalamus to produce the hormone melatonin, which causes a drop in body temperature and sleepiness. At the same time there is a reduction in the chemicals responsible for arousal, like histamine, noradrenalin, and serotonin. In a normal person, this sequence brings on sleep. There are two types of sleep: rapid eye movement (REM) and nonrapid eye movement (NREM). NREM has four stages, with stage 1 being transitional sleep, stage 2 light sleep and stages 3 and 4 deep (delta) sleep. Delta sleep is the most restful kind. During NREM sleep, brain activity and body functions slow. During REM there is increased activity - body functions speed up and a person dreams. A person moves from one phase of sleep to another during the night.

What is Insomnia?

Insomnia is a sleeping problem in which there is either inadequate sleeping time, or poor quality sleep, occurring on a regular or frequent basis, often for no apparent reason. A person with insomnia may have difficulty falling asleep, may wake up too early, wake up intermittently during the night, or may wake feeling unrefreshed.

During the day a person with insomnia may suffer from general tiredness, lack of energy, difficulty concentrating, and irritability. Sleep deprivation also impairs memory, reaction time and alertness. Tired people are less productive at work, less patient with others, and less interactive in relationships. Sleep deprivation can also be dangerous for people who have to drive. When people are deprived of sleep over long periods, the body's immune system becomes depressed, lowering resistance to disease and infections.

Insomnia is very common - between 20% and 30% of adults suffer insomnia to some degree, and about 10% to 15% of people have insomnia which is chronic or severe. Insomnia is more of a problem in the elderly, and is more common in women. Sleeping pills are amongst the most prescribed medicines in the world.

 

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