Daylight Savings Could Make Sleep Disorders Worse
This past Sunday, clocks were reset to “spring forward” an hour ahead, marking the beginning of daylight savings time 2012. The date also marked the end of National Sleep Awareness Week, which lasted from March 4 to March 12. The national event is sponsored by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) and aims to focus public attention on awareness of sleep disorders and the means by which they are diagnosed and remedied.
Why Sleep Disorders Can Harm You
A Northfield Hospital Sleep Center Coordinator and Respiratory Therapist, Stacey Zell, said that it is a red flag when people are always sleepy during the daytime. Excessive daytime sleepiness and other sleep deprivation symptoms are oftentimes rooted in an undiagnosed sleep disorder. This usually occurs among tired people who fail to get enough sleep on a regular basis, either because of their work schedules or because they have trouble falling asleep.
To date, researchers have identified 80 sleep disorders. Insomnia is the number one disorder, although many professionals insist that the condition is more of a symptom. Other sleep disorders include restless leg syndrome (RLS), sleep apnea, shift work disorder and narcolepsy. Studies are now showing that a sleep disorder may be linked to other health problems like heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. Sleep disorders also have an effect on mental health and can cause depression and anxiety over the long term.
Sleep replenishes cells. While a person is sleeping is the only time when brain activity slows down enough to rest. Dr. Bryan Hoff, M.D., who works at a sleep center, explains that sleep is a fundamental building block necessary for overall health. Along with proper food intake, enough sleep allows the body to function at its best. Without enough quality sleep, a person can start experiencing other problems; he or she may eat more, have problems focusing on work or be in a perpetually irritable mood. Sleep deprivation symptoms can bleed into other aspects of your life.
How Daylight Savings Time Affect Sleep Disorders
People who suffer from various sleep disorders will probably experience worsened symptoms during daylight savings time. At the very least, existing sleep problems put sleep disorders patients at a disadvantage. Feeling like you’ve lost an hour of sleep can cause a host of daytime difficulties like the inability to focus, sluggishness and irritability.
The internal body clock could also be affected initially since you’d feel like scheduled activities were starting at an earlier than usual time. Adjust sleep time to suit the cycle of daylights savings time is not always easy but can have lasting benefits. It’s a good option if you want to attune the body clock as well as make up for the one lost hour ahead of the regular time.
Go See a Sleep Doctor if You Can't Sleep
Remember not to leave sleep deprivation go unchecked. There are a host of sleep disorders that may cause your problems. Consult a doctor about the matter and request a sleep study for testing. Once the cause is diagnosed then proper treatment can follow.
Many people take sleep for granted until lack of it leads to medical problems. Unknowingly they have caused bigger dilemmas by simply not getting enough hours of sleep per night. In addition, there are millions who suffer from sleep disorders no matter how early they go to bed or how great their sleeping environments are. If you are one of these people, please don’t hesitate to contact a sleep doctor located near you.
