When you slip into slumber, you become completely unconscious, while your body and brain functions remain active throughout. These functions conduct many important biological processes in your sleep. When you take adequate sleep, you feel energized and ready to take on the world. Conversely, you will see that you feel lethargic and devoid of motivation after a night of sleep deprivation. Imagine, if a day of bad sleep can have such an impact on your health and productivity then how damaging the effects of persistent sleeping difficulties can be.
Types Of Sleep Disorders
Sleep disorders are of various types, they include sleep apnea, insomnia, restless leg syndrome (RLS), hypersomnia, and parasomnia. Sleep apnea is a disorder wherein an individual may have trouble breathing, whereas, during insomnia, the individual struggles to fall asleep without any specific reason. Restless leg syndrome causes a tingling sensation in the legs which keeps you up at night. Furthermore, an individual with hypersomnia may develop a strong urge to sleep during the day, which makes them stay awake at night. Lastly, parasomnia is when an individual behaves unusually during their sleep, they may start walking, eating, and talking suddenly.
Indicators of sleep disorders
The signs and symptoms of sleep disorders may vary corresponding to a specific disorder. However, you may experience some common symptoms that are listed below:
- It takes you more than 30 to 60 minutes to fall asleep, every night.
- You may wake up several times from deep sleep and once you are awake, you may find it difficult to slip back to sleep.
- Lack of sleep makes you feel tired the next day, and you might feel like dozing off during the day.
- Before falling asleep, you may experience some weird sensation in your arms or legs, which may feel like a tingling or prickling feeling.
- You might struggle to get up due to the weakness in your muscles.
- You may even experience vivid dreaming or hallucinations.
What causes sleep disorders?
Several causes lead to sleep disorders, they include:
Mental health issues and illnesses
Common problems like stress and anxiety are everyday struggles an individual experiences. Stress is your body’s natural emotion that triggers a flight or fight response. It can cause physiological changes in your body. Those dealing with stressful situations for a prolonged period are more susceptible to chronic health conditions like hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, cardiovascular dysfunction, and sleep disorders.
Day-to-day stress can sometimes take a toll. Chronic stress is linked to anxiety which can keep you from sleeping. It can worsen the worries of an individual, which forms the reason for their sleep deprivation.
Apart from that, mental illnesses like depression, eating disorders, schizophrenia, bipolar diseases, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and anxiety disorders, can affect your sleep-wake cycle, which is also called the circadian rhythm. Medications used for the treatment of such mental health conditions can also affect your sleep by releasing some chemicals in your body that messes with your sleep.
Physiological health conditions
Health issues tend to disrupt your sleep pattern by producing some symptoms. For instance, individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes experience various symptoms during the night time. Such symptoms include a frequent urge to urinate, night sweats, inflammation, or pain in the body part due to nerve damage. Similarly, other health conditions like heart disease, kidney disorder, cardiovascular dysfunction, obesity, etc. can majorly impact your sleep and keep you awake. Also, aging has a huge role in sleeping difficulties, as older people are more likely to suffer from diseases, so, sleeping disorders are more common in older individuals.
Medicinal side effects
The medicines that you might be taking for improving your illness or chronic conditions can cause chemical changes in your body and hence leads to sleep deprivation.
Changes in work shift
If you keep switching between the night shift and day shift, then you are certainly more prone to sleep-wake cycle disruption. These shifts and changes in the body clock affect overall health. Many individuals may even experience issues with their sexual health. The most common type of sexual disorder observed among males is erectile dysfunction (ED). But there are ED medications available, that can manage ED problems well. One such medication is Malegra, which can be used against impotence issues.
What is the diagnosis?
Diagnosis can be performed through physical examinations. Your healthcare provider will ask you several questions about your lifestyle, general health, and sleep history. To some individuals, they may also suggest a home testing technique, known as a polysomnogram (PSG), which obtains the records of physical activities while sleeping. The record data may indicate the minutest changes in blood pressure, eye movements, breathing rate, heart rate, and brain wave signal.
Treatment for sleep disorders
If you wish to improve your sleep, then following sleep hygiene will be extremely beneficial. Sleep hygiene can be maintained in the following ways:
Sleep schedule
To ensure that you get to bed on time. Choose a specific time to go to bed every day and try sticking to it.
Create a comfortable environment
A cozy environment will make you get completely relaxed, which will make it easier to slip into a deep sleep.
Dim the lights
Harsh lights can make it harder for you to sleep, instead dim the lights.
Keep the devices away
Electronic devices emit blue light which interferes with the brain chemicals that make you fall asleep. So, avoid their use, especially before bedtime.
Consult your healthcare provider or a sleep expert
If none of the above techniques gives you results, then it is best to see the doctor, they will perform a diagnostic test, and based on that, they will recommend some treatment appropriate for your condition.
Wrapping Up
Sleep disorders are linked to a range of physiological as well as psychological health conditions that can push an individual into a miserable state. Lack of adequate resting can cause changes to the body’s metabolism. Which impacts the individual’s well-being and leads to an unsatisfactory kind of life. Such individuals must try relieving their sleep difficulties by following a disciplined lifestyle along with proper sleep hygiene. If that does not work, then it is necessary to get the diagnosis and seek appropriate treatment or therapy from a medical professional.
