By the age of 6 months a circadian rhythm is established and by the age of 1 year infants are usually sleeping mainly at night, with 1 or 2 naps during the day. The periods of deep sleep lengthen and there is a reduction in the amounts of active/REM sleep. Sleep patterns change during childhood and by the age of 5, children have EEG patterns that look like those of an adult but they are still sleeping more (around 12 hours a day) and having more REM activity (about 30% of total sleep time). Boys are also found to sleep slightly more than girls. As childhood progresses, the need for sleep decreases, but in adolescence it increases slightly, to around 9 or 10 hours a night.
Sleep Paralysis is the temporary inability to move or speak while falling asleep or waking up. These episodes are generally brief, lasting a few seconds to several minutes. After episodes end, people rapidly recover their full capacity to move and
There two stages are categorized at light sleep. Stage three is when it starts to become harder to awaken the sleeper. Sleep spindles disappear and breathing slows down. Your brain also emits delta waves, which signify deep sleep. The fourth stage is the deepest sleep that normally lasts for about an hour and a half.
Teens have a internal clock that causes you to feel more alert at night and wake up later in the morning. This makes it difficult to go to bed at a decent time and wake up feeling refreshed. Dr. Mindell the director of the Graduate Program in Psychology at Saint Joseph’s University says “sending students to school without enough sleep is like sending them to school with breakfast. Sleep serves not only a restorative function for adolescent’s bodies and brains, but it is also a key time when they process what they’ve learned during the day.” It is also important for teens to have a consistent sleep schedule throughout the week. Surveys show that teens rely on naps to make them more refreshed.
In stage 1, the heart beat slows down, muscle tension is reduced and alpha waves are replaced by slower theta waves. Stage 2 sees the emergence of irregular bursts of electrical activity known as ‘sleep spindles’; at this stage we are ‘properly’ asleep. In stage 3 there are very slow waves with large amplitude. This is the first stage of deep sleep. During this stage, heart rate and body temperature continues to fall.
The evaluation can show if a person went to sleep more quickly, and slept more comfortably as usual and woke with no drowsiness. Another area monitored is if they were able to stay alert throughout the following day, then at this point the medication would then made available to the public. If the participant showed signs of having trouble falling asleep after the normal allotted time for the sleep aid to take affect or had a restless night and felt as if they did not sleep the next day, then further studies need performed and changes made to the medication. There are two ways of getting a sleep aid, as an over the counter (OTC) which is a safer option if it is to be used for a short period, and by a doctor’s prescription, which the end results could be habit forming drug. Many companies recommend that people use prescribed
It is typical during a sleep terror for a person to scream, sweat, have a rapid pulse and sit up in bed. The person having a sleep terror may appear to be awake, but are unable to communicate. Most people will not respond to soothing words or comfort, they may try to run away. This event will last 20 minutes or less, then the person will lie down and go back to
Once a person lacking sleep has gone into mania they start believing that they do not need sleep and will stay awake for more than 20 hours, this makes the disorder worse [ (AstraZeneca, 2009) ]. Using psychoactive drugs for any type of mental disorder relies on the symptoms to be relieved by the prescription. In the case of bipolar disorder, these drugs are recommended as a primary method of treatment (AstraZeneca, 2009). Although not a permanent cure, the person will receive enough relief to help them operate throughout the day. In these cases, the medication provides temporary relief but the patient is asked to seek further help, such as a counselor, to find a more permanent fix (Bipolar Disorder, 2009).
Fibromyalgia and Fatigue After pain, the most common and debilitating symptom of fibromyalgia is fatigue. This is not the normal tiredness that follows a busy day, but a lingering feeling of exhaustion. People with fibromyalgia may feel tired first thing in the morning, even after hours spent in bed. The fatigue may
What works well for one person may not work at all for another person. According to WebMD.com, “IBS treatments include diet and lifestyle changes and medications.” For people with mild symptoms, learning to manage stress, making dietary changes and lifestyle changes can help to control the condition. It is also important that people stay hydrated, engage in exercise and get enough sleep (Mayo Clinic, 2014). Learning to manage stress and understanding your