| There are many people in this country losing sleep | | | | doctor. The constant waking due to the noise |
| due to external and internal noise in their | | | | disturbance will push people to try drugs to help |
| environment. One of the big misconceptions of | | | | them sleep through the noise. |
| people who wake due to noise, is they believe | | | | This is only replacing one problem with another. |
| that it is only the loud noise coming from outside | | | | There is no telling what the long-term effects can |
| such as traffic, railroads, or airplanes that are the | | | | be from any of these drugs on an individual never |
| reasons for their sleeplessness. | | | | mind the possibility of addiction. Some people will |
| But you could be waking from noise you didn't | | | | turn to ear protection devices such as earplugs or |
| even consider, that could be coming from inside | | | | headphones to block out the noise. |
| your home. This is particularly true for people who | | | | These things can work for some but, can be |
| consider themselves light sleepers. The slightest | | | | uncomfortable and not practical for others. One |
| noise has these people sitting up, wide-awake, | | | | suggestion for over coming the constant waking |
| from a sound sleep. One thing to understand is, | | | | is to replace one noise with another. By this I |
| your hearing is always active and your brain is still | | | | mean things like audiotapes that play soothing |
| processing the noise even when asleep. This is | | | | sounds such as ocean waves, waterfalls, or rain. |
| why even the slightest noise wakes certain | | | | This allows you to mask the noise that is waking |
| people. | | | | you with a sound that will help you sleep. |
| The main effects of this type of sleep | | | | The main reason people wake is because of single |
| interruption are: problems falling asleep, frequent | | | | distinct noise that goes above a certain decibel on |
| awakenings, and variances in the stages of sleep. | | | | the backdrop of a quite night. This event causes |
| Most importantly it will prevent you from getting | | | | the person to wake, but if that noise is masked |
| a truly deep sleep for a proper period of time | | | | with a constant sound that they are used to and |
| that is healthy. | | | | can sleep to, then the likely hood of you waking is |
| There are five stages of sleep, rapid eye | | | | minimized if not eliminated. |
| movement or (REM Sleep) is the fifth stage of | | | | Fortunately there have been a lot of studies on |
| sleep. Once you have reached this level you have | | | | how environmental noise affects our lives. |
| gone through all the stages of sleep, and will have | | | | Unfortunately there are so many variables to this |
| gotten the most restful night you can get. When | | | | problem, the experts cannot agree on the |
| you are awakened often, you will not reach all the | | | | solutions. So although there have been plenty of |
| different stages of sleep. | | | | studies, there are no clear-cut answers. |
| You will feel the affects the next day through | | | | One reason is, some people will get use to |
| symptoms such as increased tiredness, fatigue, | | | | whatever noise is waking them, while for others, |
| even depression. If you let it go on, you can start | | | | this is not the case. This is just one variable out |
| to suffer long-term effects that could be | | | | of dozens. Because of this, experts can't agree |
| detrimental to both your psychological and physical | | | | on an essential direction of treatment. One thing is |
| health. | | | | for sure; a deep sleep is essential to good health. |
| One thing to be careful of, when you start losing | | | | So if you are losing sleep for any reason you |
| sleep for any reason, is the use of over the | | | | should be examining the problem and seeking |
| counter drugs or medication prescribed by a | | | | professional help. |