Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder, and it is estimated that 30-40% of adults have experienced some degree of insomnia, and as many as 10-15%% have experienced chronic insomnia at some point in their lives.

Insomnia is characterized by poor sleep quality as a result of patients having trouble initiating sleep, maintaining sleep, waking too early, or having sleep that is non-restorative, while having adequate opportunity and circumstances to sleep.

You may already know that serving in the military increases the chance of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),  a mental health condition that can develop after experiencing a terrifying event like war. But what you may not realize is that PTSD is linked to a potentially dangerous nighttime issue: sleep apnea.

September isSuicide Awareness Month, making now a good time to address all of our active military and Veterans about how poor sleep quality can affect every other aspect of life.

Imagine it: you’re watching your favorite spooky movie late at night. It’s autumn and the wind rattles your windows, whistling through the cracks and crannies of your home. You feel the hair on the back of your neck stand straight up, and there it is: a shadowy figure stumbling toward you, feet shuffling, face shrouded with hair, head bent and lolling. You begin to scream, but you stop just in time. It’s just your daughter, and she’s wandering around in quite an unconscious state.

What is PTSD?

"Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops in some people who have experienced a shocking, scary, or dangerous event. It is natural to feel afraid during and after a traumatic situation. Fear triggers many split-second changes in the body to help defend against danger or to avoid it. This ‘fight-or-flight’ response is a typical reaction meant to protect a person from harm."

Quality sleep is extremely important in the physiological, cognitive, and emotional development of children. At different stages of a child's development sleep needs change. In order to help children get as much quality sleep as possible, parents should have a strong understanding of the sleep requirements necessary for their children at various stages in their lives.

One study found that approximately 27% of children are sleeping less than is recommended for their age. Sleep debt in children can lead to an array of consequences including inattention, irritability, hyperactivity, impulse control problems, behavioral issues at home and school, learning troubles, and overall quality of life.

Poor sleep in children often leads to sleep troubles for the parents as well. When children frequently wake in the middle of the night unable to go back to sleep, most parents respond by waking up themselves and helping soothe them back to sleep. Over time both the parents and the children can become sleep deprived.

Of all the potential sleep disorders found in young children, Behavioral insomnia is the most frequently cited, surpassing other sleep disorders including breathing disorders like sleep apnea (1-3%), sleep related movement disorders such as restless leg syndrome (2-8%), and parasomnias such as night terrors (5-35%) [source].