We are living in a 24/7 global society in which many businesses, industries, and services around the world operate non-stop, which is great for production, customer satisfaction, and even safety.

We can hop on a jet at 1:00 a.m. to fly halfway around the world, we can visit a hospital at 1:30 a.m. to seek treatment for a bad case of the flu, we can head down to a convenient store at 2:00 a.m. to pick up a box of diapers, we can call tech support at 2:30 a.m. when our internet stops working, we can even hit the drive-thru at a fast food restaurant to get a late night snack at midnight.

Sleep plays a vital role in both your physical and mental health, from healing and repairing your heart and blood vessels, to building up your immune system to fend off disease. In other words, we absolutely need good sleep to stay healthy.

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, active duty military personnel have a high prevalence of sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea, insomnia, and short sleep duration. Results also show that these sleep disorders lead to medical issues, such as depression, anxiety, and more.  With sleep research growing for active duty military personnel, many are getting the help they need through professional sleep clinics.

Sleepwalking is often portrayed in movies, on television, and even homemade Youtube clips in either one of two lights: hilariously funny or supernaturally terrifying. But for the sleepwalkers themselves and the loved ones they share a home with, the reality of sleepwalking may be found somewhere in the middle.

A 'family curse': First insomnia, then death

The latest from The National Sleep Foundation @ www.sleep.org.

September is Suicide Prevention Month. According to the most recent report published by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, which analyzed 55 million veterans' records from 1979 to 2016, the current analysis indicates that an average of 20 veterans a day die from suicide. Service members and Veterans who have defended our freedom have earned our enduring gratitude. They should have the opportunity to live meaningful, productive lives, in the same freedom and peace that their service and sacrifices made possible for so many other Americans.

Sleep problems among active-duty military and veterans are all too common. We’ve seen a growing body of research exploring the problems associated with soldiers’ sleep—and much of the news is not good. Both are at significantly greater risk for sleep disorders than the public.

Do you constantly struggle in some way with sleep? Do you have trouble getting or staying asleep? Do you wake in the middle of the night unable to return to sleep, or wake in the morning feeling as if you never really slept at all? Or maybe you've even been told that you exhibit strange behaviors during sleep. Do you feel tired and worn down nearly everyday? If so, you might just have a sleep disorder.

Approximately 80 million Americans suffer from a sleep disorder. And while there are over 70 recognized sleep disorders, some are much more prevalent than others. Here we describe the four most common sleep disorders that could be robbing you of quality sleep.

Your circadian rhythm is an ingrained biological clock that regulates the timing periods of tiredness and wakefulness throughout the day. Your body clock is calibrated by the appearance and disappearance of natural light in a 24-hour period. The term circadian is derived from the Latin "circa diem" meaning "approximately a day."

The functions of your circadian rhythm are based in the part of the brain known as the hypothalamus. Within the hypothalamus are a group of cells known as the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), which is connected to our optic nerves that sense changes in light. The SCN is also responsible for regulating many body functions that revolve around the 24-hour cycle including: body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, and the release of hormones such as melatonin which helps us with sleep.