In storm’s wake, sleeping problems rise

After three boiling nights in their 1927 home with windows that don’t open, Sharon Clary and her husband could have slept right there in the restaurant.

The booth was comfortable, the place was air-conditioned and the lighting was dim.

“We were just exhausted -- the nights were so rough,” said Clary, whose Winter Park home was still without power Wednesday afternoon. “You’re up tossing and turning the whole time, you absolutely can’t wait to get to work just to get out of it.”

Along with everything else Hurricane Charley left behind are thousands of sweaty insomniacs who can’t get nearly the recommended eight hours of shut-eye in their powerless homes.

What’s more, the effects of sleeplessness are compounded by other stresses -- home damage, children out of school, insurance claims. But even in itself, sleep deprivation can lead to multiple problems.

“It reduces your ability to problem solve, to think, to remember,” said Dr. Morris Bird, a neurologist and director of Florida Hospital’s Center for Sleep Disorders. “It takes a lot more effort to do things you ordinarily could do easily. It’s definitely an effort to maintain, shall we say, a temperate personality.”

In short: The sleepy can be cranky, irritable and quick to take offense. Tired people are easy to spot in offices around Central Florida.

“They’re moving a little bit slower; they’re agitated,” said Janet Busto, who works in the marketing department at Florida Hospital and also endured some sleepless nights without power. “The concentration level is definitely not there -- at least, that’s what happened with me.”

Sleep is a basic -- and often overlooked -- necessity. Doctors are learning more as their knowledge of the brain deepens. But in truth, no one really knows the full purpose of sleep.

“That’s a big debate,” said Dr. Mary Wagner, an associate professor at the University of Florida. “Sleep probably has many purposes. For one thing, it probably serves as a time for the brain to process material from the day.”

Sleep could be the brain’s filter -- important stuff is catalogued into memory while the rest is tossed.

People in Central Florida aren’t at the point of long-term sleep deprivation yet. But if chronic, doctors say, the lack of sleep contributes to things such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and possibly hormonal imbalances that lead to weight gain. It can weaken the immune system and speed up the aging process.

The only treatment for sleeplessness is the obvious. And for now, a good night’s rest might not be possible.

To improve your chances, doctors say there are things you can do. Avoid caffeine and alcohol; go to bed only when sleepy; and try to keep the same bedtime and wake time every day.

Know your limitations. Not every sleepy person is a hazard, but lack of sleep is involved in an estimated 100,000 car accidents a year. Reaction time is definitely slowed, said Dr. Tim Bullard, director of emergency medicine at Orlando Regional Medical Center.

Clary and her husband finally gave up and went to her parents’ house in Lake County one night already, even though it created an hour’s commute in the morning.

“I think it was the best night’s sleep I’ve had in years,” Clary said.

Robyn Shelton can be reached at rshelton@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5487.