Last year it was estimated that 39 million Americans are blind, 246 million have low vision, and 285 are visually impaired worldwide. The number of Americans who suffer from a chronic long-term sleep disorder is estimated to be around 40 million, while occasional sleep problems affect an additional 20 million. Sleep disorders can be caused by a number of issues depending on the disorder itself. However, Non-24 sleep disorder is a disorder that affects the totally blind.
What is Non-24?
Non-24 is a common sleep disorder that is estimated to affect 70 percent of the totally blind population. It is classified as a chronic circadian rhythm disorder. Sleep and wake rhythms in humans are controlled by their internal body clock which takes cues from nature. The internal human clock runs on a schedule that is a bit longer than a 24-hour day. It is reset each day by daylight detected by the eye. The eye sees the light and signals the brain. However, for people who are totally blind, this reset may not happen, resulting in disruption of the body’s natural sleep/wake rhythms.
Symptoms of Non-24
Non-24 sleep disorder makes it difficult to sleep at night and therefore causes daytime difficulties. It can strike at any age. Symptoms of Non-24 include:
- Difficulty sleeping through the night
- Overwhelming urge to nap during the day
- Difficulty concentrating
- Feelings of restlessness or frustration
- Feeling overtired
- Difficulties managing school and work
If you know someone displaying symptoms of Non-24, contact Dr. Stewart for a complete evaluation.
About Your Livonia MI Dentist Dr. Stewart
James R. Stewart, Jr, DDS, PC and our compassionate staff proudly serve patients of all ages from Livonia, Farmington Hills, Plymouth, Northville, Dearborn Heights, Garden City, and all surrounding communities. If you think you or a loved one is dealing with a sleep disorder, call our office today at (734) 425-4400, to schedule an appointment. At Dental sleep Medicine of Michigan, we are committed to forming trusting relationships with our patients so we can work together to achieve sound treatment and a future full of restful nights.
