Sleep can be divided into
four stages. Stage 1 is light sleep. This is when you are just on the verge
of falling asleep.
Stage 2 is when you begin to lose consciousness and become less aware of your
surroundings.
Stage 3 is the deepest phase of sleep. This is when the body repairs itself
and energy is restored. It's during this stage that rapid eye movement occurs.
This is when we dream and our eyes are continually moving. Muscles become
very relaxed and the body becomes immobilised.
Millions of people suffer from a sleep disorder at some time in their lives. This can cause stress related problems as the body isn't able to re-energise and repair itself properly.
If you suffer from a sleep disorder you will feel more stressed and may even put on weight.
Sleep disorders can be caused by physical problems such as blocked nasal passages, asthma and pain from arthritis. It can also be caused by drinking caffeine late in the evening, or an excess of alcohol.
Menopausal women frequently suffer sleep disorders caused by hot flushes occurring during the night.
You will be surprised to know that light from the computer screen can obstruct sleep and cause problems in your sleeping patterns. Many survey findings have shown that watching T.V before going to bed can also cause sleep disorders. If you do have a sleep problem don't have a tv or computer in your bedroom.
Sleep walking is a sleep disorder that is most common in children, however it can occur at any age and in adults may indicate a mental health problem. It happens during the deepest stage of sleep when the body is most relaxed and the sufferer remembers nothing about it.
There are three types of treatment for sleep disorder. Medication can be helpful in some severe cases. Many cases can be dealt with counselling and therapeutic treatment. Somatic treatment can also help in treating sleep disorders
Kathy Joyce copyright December 2007
Contact email:healthytowealth@aol.com
