In the US alone, it is figured that approximately 60 - 80 million people have some form of sleep disorder. The number of people with sleeping problems continues to increase. Several of the causes for the increasing numbers are the aging of the American citizens, the change in our lifestyle and epidemic of obesity.

Of course, there are other elements that can result in a sleep disorder, such as, stress, night work, sickness or genetics. There are more than 100 different types of sleep disorders. They reach in severity from minor to those that can be life threatening. Masses of any age, from infants to the aged, can be stirred by a sleep disorder at any time in their life.

As sleep disorders increase in the United States, so do the dangers associated with them. Tiredness can lead to delayed mental alertness and a slower reaction time. A person's answer time can be very slow when overly tired.

This can be a potentially fatal combination. Between 20 - 25% of all major auto accidents involve a sleep deprived driver. Many of these drivers suffer from some form of sleep disorder and many may not even be aware of the problem.

A large number of accidents that happen at home or in the workplace are also due to people with some type of sleeping issue. Sleep disorder, combined with the cost of the accidents and illnesses it causes, results in the American people and the government spending billions of dollars. Lack of sleep is directly related to lots of physical conditions and ailments. People that do not get at least 7-8 hours of sleep generally suffer more from headaches, neck problems, sore joints and stomach issues.

Often a sleep disorder is an underlying cause of heart problems, lung conditions and diabetes. Not getting the proper amount of sleep can also affect the mental well being of people. Still more problems that come from unequal sleep include: mood changes, worry, eating disorders and depression.

Despite all the issues many people still do not think of a sleeping concern as a medical concern. As a result, many never tell their physician that they are having a problem with sleep. Even if they see their doctor on a regular basis for a completely different condition, they never talk about their difficulty with sleeping. As everyone becomes more educated and aware of the symptoms, effects and severity of various sleep disorders, a greater and greater number of are being detected.

Sufferers with issues are being helped with solutions like: special medication, oxygen, cpap machines and surgery.

These days there are much improved screening procedures and diagnostic testing which detect sleep disorder problems earlier than ever before.

Specially equipped sleep centers no longer resemble a hospital room. They are now fashioned to look more like a hotel room or even a bedroom, to make the patient feel more comfortable. This helps to get more accurate sleep testing results. In some cases, due to computerization and miniaturization, testing equipment can be so small that some testing can even be done in the home bedroom.

It is important to note that sleep is not an option or a luxury. It is a major component of healthful living. If you think someone in your life or a child may be suffering from a sleep disorder urge them to visit their physician as soon as possible. With today's modern science this is a medical problem that can be helped.