OVER

2007

Sleep Disorders

Most adults need at least eight 

hours of sleep every night to be 

well rested. Not everyone gets the 

sleep they need. About 40 million 

people in the U.S. suffer from sleep 

problems every year.

Not getting enough sleep for a long 

time can cause health problems. For 

example, it can make problems like 

diabetes and high blood pressure 

worse.

Many things can disturb your sleep.

• Stress 

• A sick child

• Working long hours

• Light or noise from traffic or TV

• Feeling too hot or cold

• Wine, beer, or liquor

What are the different types of 

sleep problems?

• Insomnia • Snoring

• Feeling sleepy • Sleep apnea

during the day

Insomnia

Insomnia includes:

• Trouble falling asleep

• Having trouble getting back to 

sleep

• Waking up too early

Most people will have trouble 

falling asleep from time to time. It 

is usually nothing to worry about. 

Stress, like the loss of a job or a 

death in the family could cause 

problems falling asleep. Certain 

medicines can make it hard to fall 

asleep. Drinking alcohol or eating 

too close to bedtime can keep you 

awake, too.

Insomnia is called chronic (longterm) when it lasts most nights for 

a few weeks or more. You should 

see your doctor if this happens. 

Insomnia is more common in 

females, people with depression, 

and in people older than 60.

Treatment:

Taking medicine together with 

some changes to your routine can 

help most people with insomnia 

(about 85 percent). Certain drugs 

work in the brain to help promote 

sleep.

Tips for better sleep

• Go to bed and get up at the same 

times each day.

• Avoid caffeine, nicotine, beer, 

wine, and liquor four to six hours 

before bedtime.

• Don’t exercise within two hours of 

bedtime.

• Don’t eat large meals within two 

hours of bedtime.

• Don’t nap later than 3 p.m.

• Sleep in a dark, quiet room that 

isn’t too hot or cold for you.

• If you can’t fall asleep within 20 

minutes, get up and do something 

quiet.

• Wind down in the 30 minutes 

before bedtime by doing 

something relaxing.
FDA Office of Women’s Health http://www.fda.gov/womens

TAKE TIME TO CARE... For yourself, for those who need you.

Feeling sleepy during the day

Feeling tired every now and then is normal. It 

is not normal for sleepiness to interfere with 

your daily life. Watch for signs like:

• Slowed thinking • Feeling cranky

• Trouble paying • Heavy eyelids

attention

Several sleep disorders can make you sleepy 

during the day. One of these is narcolepsy. 

People with narcolepsy feel very sleepy even 

after a full night’s sleep.

It is normal to take between 10 and 20 

minutes to fall asleep. People who fall asleep 

in less than five minutes may have a serious 

sleep disorder.

Snoring

Snoring is noisy breathing during sleep. It 

is caused by vibrating in the throat. Some 

people can make changes that will stop 

snoring. These include:

• Losing weight

• Cutting down on smoking and alcohol

• Sleeping on your side instead of on your 

back

Treatment:

You can buy over-the-counter nasal strips to 

help prevent snoring. You place one over your 

nose before going to bed to make breathing 

easier.

Sleep Apnea

Snoring loud and often, together with too 

much daytime sleepiness, may be signs of 

sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a very common 

sleep disorder. It is also very dangerous. The 

most common type of sleep apnea happens 

when your breathing stops during sleep. It 

can stop for about 10 seconds to as long as a 

minute. You wake up trying to breathe. This 

stop-and-start cycle of waking to breathe can 

repeat hundreds of times a night. The danger 

is that some time you may not wake up to 

breathe. If this happens, you can die.

You are likely to feel sleepy during the day 

if you have this problem. People with sleep 

apnea tend to be overweight. It is more 

common among men than women.

Treatment:

• The most common treatment is a device that 

pushes air through the airway. This device is 

called a CPAP.

• Avoid beer, wine, liquor, tobacco, and 

sleeping pills.

• Your doctor may also suggest you lose 

weight.

• In some cases, you may need surgery to 

make the airway bigger.

To Learn More:

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

http://www.fda.gov

National Center on Sleep Disorders Research

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

6705 Rockledge Drive

One Rockledge Center, Suite 6022

Bethesda, MD 20892-7993

Phone: 301-435-0199

http://www.nhibi.nih.gov/about/ncsdr/index.htm

Sleep Disorders