Sleep disorders and gastrointestinal symptoms: chicken, egg or vicious cycle?

Sleep disorders can arise as a consequence of a number of problems including difficulty falling or staying asleep, falling asleep at inappropriate times, excessive total sleep time, or abnormal behaviours associated with sleep. In Europe, the prevalence of sleep disorders amongst the general population has been estimated to range from 7% to 50%. Over 40 million Americans suffer from a sleep disorders. Sleep disorders have been found to slow response time, decrease attention and increase the likelihood of falling asleep at work. Moreover, sleep disorders have been found to affect adversely problem-solving skills and moral reasoning. Given these findings, it is not surprising that sleep disorders exert tangible effects on health, personal and public safety, productivity and quality of life. Recent evidence suggests that disturbed sleep is common amongst patients with gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms.