* foot notes
Oh, glorious, delicious sleep. Experts say most healthy adults need an average of seven to nine hours of sleep each night. But everyone is different. Some people can get by on six hours, while others can’t function on less than 10. Experts say if you have trouble staying awake during boring or monotonous situations during the day (i.e., at work), you probably aren’t getting enough sleep at night.
* While almost everyone has an occasional sleepless night, the American Sleep Disorders Assn. (https://www.asda.org) says more than 100 million Americans of all ages regularly fail to get a good night’s sleep. Women are twice as likely as men to have sleep difficulties. The association details about 84 disorders of sleeping and waking. Experts at the West Valley Sleep Disorder Center in West Hills, (818) 715-0096, say these disorders fall into three main categories: inability to fall asleep, inability to stay asleep and inability to stay awake during the day.
* Kathy Cavander, coordinator of the Glendale Adventist Medical Center’s Sleep Disorders Center (818) 409-8323, says that apnea, snoring and insomnia are the most common sleep disorders they encounter. Apnea is a Greek word that means “want of breath.” People with sleep apnea can’t breathe properly during sleep. Throat muscles relax and sag, obstructing air flow and preventing them from getting enough oxygen. Apnea is usually accompanied by loud snoring. “There are several options for sleep apnea sufferers depending upon the severity of the problem,” Cavander said. Options include oral appliances, a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) mask or, in extreme cases, surgery.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says 100,000 crashes and at least 1,500 deaths are caused each year by drowsy drivers. Experts offer the following sleep tips: 1) Maintain a regular sleep schedule, 2) Don’t consume alcoholic or caffeinated drinks at night and 3) Exercise regularly.
*
“Sleeping is no mean art, for its sake one has to stay awake all day.” --Nietzsche.
National Sleep Awareness Week, March 28-April 4, caught the Footnotes staff napping. But now we’re wide awake and ready to explore that most natural of pleasurable pastimes. For most people, falling asleep is as easy as falling down. But for others, it can be a real nightmare.
