| All of us have times when we are awake at night. We | | | | writes, "these women are one reason the National |
| toss and turn and, when we awaken in the morning, | | | | Sleep Foundation has declared March 28-April 3 as |
| have little energy. Sleep deprivation (insomnia) has | | | | National Sleep Awareness Week." |
| many consequences, including lack of alertness, | | | | In recent weeks I have become aware of the toll a |
| decreased performance, mental impairment, poor | | | | lack of sleep takes on the body. A month ago I caught |
| quality of life, job injuries, and car injuries. Why can't | | | | a cold and coughing kept me awake at night. After a |
| you get a good night's sleep? | | | | week of disrupted sleep I felt like I was living my life in |
| Illness, such as a bad cold or the flu, can interrupt your | | | | slow motion. And I was. Though daytime naps helped, I |
| sleep. Financial problems may also keep you awake. | | | | longed for a solid night of sleep. I took some steps to |
| You may be working two jobs to make ends meet. A | | | | control my cough and finally slept through the night. |
| WebMD article, "Sleep Habits: More Important Than | | | | See your doctor if you have ongoing sleep problems. |
| You Think" says the stresses of daily life can alter | | | | She or he can perform tests to evaluate your sleep |
| your sleep. According to the article, there are several | | | | and the extent of your sleep deprivation. Medications |
| types of sleep disorders. | | | | may keep you from sleeping and your doctor can |
| Excessive sleep, which is called hypersomnia, is | | | | review medications, including over-the-counter ones |
| defined as getting more than 10 hours of sleep a night | | | | and supplements, to see what is going on. Your doctor |
| and still feeling sleepy the next day. Disrupted sleep is | | | | may ask you to keep a sleep diary, noting the date, |
| the term used for people who get less sleep and | | | | time, medications you took, stressful situations, food |
| never experience deep sleep. "Woman are twice as | | | | you ate, and whether or not you exercised. Most |
| likely than men to suffer sleep disorders," the article | | | | doctors ask their patients to keep this diary for at least |
| explains. | | | | a month. |
| Molly M. Ginty, a correspondent for the | | | | Though I did not keep a sleep diary, I tracked the |
| Womensenews website, writes about lack of sleep in | | | | number of nights I was awake, ate bland food, and |
| her article, "Sleep Deprivation Threatens Women's | | | | went for daily walks. Poor sleep is associated with |
| Health." She says an increasing number of American | | | | many serious medical illnesses, such as heart attack, |
| women suffer from a lack of sleep. "Stretched to their | | | | heart failure, stroke, obesity, psychiatric problems, and |
| limits by screaming toddlers, demanding bosses and | | | | Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). So do everything you |
| financial worries that keep them up at night," Ginty | | | | can to cure your insomnia. Your health depends on it. |