Not only is the quality of sleep important, its quantity also plays a major role in determining the welfare of our lives.
Often we exchange sleep for the pleasures, and more often, for the work in our lives. We may even conscientiously or purposely ignore our body's cry for sleep, choosing instead to believe that our 'sacrifice' is for the common good of the community we live in.
It is indeed a fatal error if we continuously sacrifice our sleep because the human body is physical and does not have eternal value. Hence it is up to us to take good care of our body and ensure that it gets the rest that it deserves.
PROBLEMS WITH SLEEP AND SLEEP DISORDERS
Bruxism Causes
Bruxism is a 'habit' of grinding our teeth during sleep. Its causes can be physical, emotional or reactional. Often, the person is unaware that he is suffering from Bruxism unless he is told. It is normally a subconscious action. As bruxism usually occurs when the sufferer is sound asleep, he is never in control of trying to prevent or stop it for obvious reasons.
Bruxism may be a delayed response to stress in the day. The person is unable to respond to certain mentally or emotionally stressful circumstances that occur during the waking hours. The person is only able to respond to the stress in the subconscious. At the time when the stressful daytime circumstances occur, the sufferer may be too shocked to respond appropriately to them. The stress is usually not adequately handled during the waking hours and thus slips into the sufferer's unconscious, and often does so when the sufferer is too busy to fully resolve the reasons for the stress. When the sufferer goes to sleep, his brain does not and when he is finally in deep sleep, the subconscious mind surfaces the stress that occurred during the day and the body reacts to it in the form of bruxism.
Bruxism may also be caused by the presence of crooked teeth or malocclussion. The surfaces of the teeth are thus not able to fit snugly into each other, especially the flatter incisors at the front of the mouth. Often, the teeth on the upper jaw slips outwards and over the incisors on the lower jaw. When a sleeping person gnashes his teeth together during sleep as the jaws clamp down, the gritting sound may be horrendously loud in the dead of the night.
Consumption of certain drugs and alcoholic drinks could render a person to lose control of activities. When the drugs and alcoholic drinks have a deep effect on the person, the person is rendered incapable of even voluntary activities and is hence not able to control involuntary ones such as those performed during sleep.
Bruxism may also be an inherited condition of aggressive and impulsive perfectionists. The negative energy is carried into the night and hence the person grits his teeth.
It is known that bruxism may diminish with age and hence adults who have it may do well to seek expert advice, as bruxism may signify something more serious than just a bad dream. It is best to try and establish the cause of bruxism in a person. For example, if the cause is emotional as in the case of stress during waking hours, the stressful conditions need to be dealt with. Otherwise, the person may suffer more than bruxism, such as a nervous breakdown or other more serious mental conditions.
Delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS) causes
Consider the following illustration: All kitchen lights are off except for one in a block of flats. It is in the wee hours of the new morning. The night is still except for an occasional breeze which sways the light branches of some trees. Jane is still awake, typing away at the keyboard of her laptop and oblivious to the fact that she is as awake as the people on the opposite half of the Earth. Yet she ought to be sleeping like the people on her half of the Earth.
Jane is usually referred to as the night owl by her friends. She will be snoring away at morning lectures, to the amusement of her classmates and definitely annoying lecturers who marvel at her ability to ensure she finds her way to school by seven o'clock daily and wonder if she managed to sleepwalk there.
Jane may be a fictitious character. However, all of us would have met a real Jane in our lives, or are one ourselves. These are folks who will be asleep while we are awake and be awake when we are asleep.
Jane suffers from what we call delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS). She is only able to sleep when her bio-chronological clock says so. Because of her inability to fall asleep when the rest of the world can, she cannot feel rested when everyone else springs up in the morning. If Jane enters a college which starts at eleven in the morning, she would have rested enough and be awake at the first lecture and done well, not be served tons of detention notices for ill-discipline.
Is it habit, or the lack of, and a non-routine that makes one a sleepless Jane? It is unfortunately not. Jane can be in bed at nine at night but she will toss and turn until her internal clock lulls her to sleep. It is not insomnia, as she can fall asleep, but she will only be able to do so when everyone has slept hours ago.
DSPS occurs mostly in teenagers, and can be mistaken for ill-routine and rudeness. Most often, it is a John, rather than a Jane.
DSPS has been found to be more prevalent in male teenagers than in their female counterparts. Nevertheless, DSPS is also common among female teenagers.
Could it be the excitement or the stress at college life that induces DSPS? The expectations to do well, trying to cope with the sudden increase in difficult homework or social activities in the daylight hours may well influence sleep-wake patterns. The sleep phase is thus delayed.
Another possible cause which cuts across all ages is prolonged illness of a serious nature, causing both physical and psychological stress and disrupting sleep patterns as the patient is not comfortable enough to fall asleep at the right time due to discomfort caused by the illness.
A very bad experience may induce trauma-like feelings. These feelings may disrupt the normal functions of the body and cause DSPS. The experience could have occurred at night. Hence the night becomes an unsafe time and the victim may have unconsiously associated night time with caution and hence staying awake to avert another disaster.
Likewise, shift work, frequent late night functions and creative careers may worsen the situation as these would also disrupt normal sleep patterns and induce DSPS.
Once the cause or causes are identified, the DSPS sufferer needs to make adjustments to help him revert to living the times on the correct side of the Earth. It is then more lightly that we will see all the lights on the block of flats off within the samed period of time.
Sleep disruptions can be due to many reasons, one of which is frequent urination at night. What causes frequent urination at night, and when is the frequency a cause for concern? It is not just the disruptions to sleep patterns that one will need to worry about. Indeed, the frequent urination at night, let alone through daylight hours, is cause for concern. Causes of frequent urination can spell the beginnings of a lifelong ailment that may result in death. It is thus not enough to blame the frequent urination on a full bladder due to excessive drinking.
The human bladder can hold up to 600 ml of urine, which is equivalent to about two and a half cups of fluid. Nonetheless, the urge to empty the bladder can start with as little as 150 ml, or slightly over half a cup of fluid. Frequent urination can be blamed on the increase of the volume of urine produced in the bladder or a problem with the storage or emptying of urine.
What constitutes frequent urination is a first question that one should consider. Waking up in the middle of the night to urinate is no cause for concern, especially if it is a common or nightly occurrence. It may also happen after a hefty food and drink intake immediately before sleep and the intake is not completely processed before sleep. Hence, the need to get up and empty the bowel. This occurrence is not a cause for concern if urination patterns return to normal the next night.
When the frequency of urination increases and sustains over a period of nights, however, it calls for concern because frequent urination at night can spell abnormalcy in the body. Other than a good heavy meal right before sleep, pregnancy can also cause urination patterns to change. These are no causes for concern, though, as explained.
Sudden frequent urination at night that occurs over a period of nights, however, sounds the alarm, and a visit to the doctor is advised for the causes can range from a temporary urinary tract infection to something more serious and life-threatening.
Causes of frequent urination at night that rings the alarm include the following, so it is important that irregular urination patterns are not ignored but given appropriate attention before the damage is irreparable.
Acute cystitis is a condition in which the bladder and/or the lower urinary tract is attacked by a sudden or severe bacterial infection. The usual occurrence is Escherichia Coli, more commonly known as E Coli, a bacteria that is found in the intestines. It is more common in women than in men because the bacteria have a shorter distance to travel to the bladder in women than in men.
Consumption of certain foods can induce fluids to be drawn out of the body system, resulting in a greater loss of fluids and hence an increase in the volume of urine. Although not life-threatening, it is best to check out if the consumption of the foods should continue. Consumption of certain medications can likewise induce fluid loss.
Consumption of more fluids than what the body needs will naturally result in more urine that needs to be passed out. These fluids will normally be passed out before the person falls asleep, unless sleep sets in first, as in the case of drunkenness, extreme fatigue or illness.
Cancer of the bladder, ovary or urethra will increase the frequency of urination. It is important to note the changes in the color of the urine. A reddish tinge of the urine is a sign that something within is bleeding. Have a medical examination as soon as possible as early detection of the cancer may prevent further deterioration.
Diabetes can increase the amount of fluid discharge, causing an increase in the amount of urine and hence the frequency of urination. Be aware of cloudy discharge in the urine as that is one sign of diabetes.
Diuretics usage that controls or treats a number of medical conditions such as hypertension or high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, kidney disease and liver disease can increase urination.
Hypercortisolism or Cushing Syndrome is defined as a disorder which occurs when the body has absorbed too much cortisol or other steroid hormones, taken to treat conditions such as asthma or rheumatoid arthritis.
Hypokalemia is a condition whereby the amount of potassium in the blood stream falls below normal levels in the blood serum. A depletion of potassium in the blood usually signifies the presence of diuretics in the bloodstream.
Prostatitis is a condition that occurs in the genito-urinary tract, beginning from the inflammation of the bladder. Men who suffer from this condition may end up with prostate cancer. Therefore, it is important that treatment is sought as soon as frequent urination at night, or even daytime, occurs.
Hypercalcemia, kidney ailments, menopause, multiple sclerosis, overactive bladder syndrome, stones in the bladder or kidneys, stroke, urge incontinence and uterine-related problems are other causes of frequent urination at night. The list runs on. It is hence important that frequent urination in the night be looked into, instead of blaming it on old age incontinence.
