By JAN CORBETT
The health and safety dangers of not getting enough sleep are issues largely ignored by busy people and sleep disorders often go unrecognised by doctors.
Last week, in the first of a three-part series on this most basic human function, the Weekend Herald asked readers to send in their
stories about not being able to sleep.
Some examples:
* "I've never been able to get to sleep quickly when tired but in the morning I can never wake." - Blair.
* "I wake up continuously during the night. During the day I am tired, able to fall asleep at any time and have great difficulty staying awake in meetings and conversations." - Jim.
* "I have a full day at work then come home extremely exhausted and ready for bed, but as soon as I hit the sack my body becomes wide awake and I can't sleep. I've tried things like reading, watching television or even going for a run to tire myself out but my body doesn't want to sleep until 12 to 1 am. Then I have to get up early for work." - Hannah.
* "Stress is the main issue here. I had been taking sleeping pills for years. But it was only when I got my life into perspective and changed my lifestyle that I started to get some decent nights' sleep." - Phill.
* "I can't pack enough into the day. I get home about 6.30 pm with my mind racing and then have to switch into home life. When I put my head on the pillow my mind still races. I toss and turn and eventually my husband gets up with me to watch Hogan's Heroes at 2.30 in the morning." - Kate.
* "Partners of people with sleep disorders suffer too. My husband, who is 25, has sleep apnoea so both of us end up being sleep-deprived. I often come close to falling asleep at the wheel of my car." - Sara.
US professor William Dement says sleep apnoea is the most undiagnosed health risk of modern times.
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If you have a serious sleep problem, tell us your story.
E-mail: Jan Corbett
Join the discussion in our online forum.
