Are you or someone special to you having sleeping difficulties? Do you find your sleep less? Being sleep driven but still cannot sleep is the worst thing. This means you are having a sleeping disorder. You can’t perform, have bad moods, worsen eating habits and affect your health.
Having a sleep disorder is not something unusual. About one-third of the adults do suffer from it. However, before consulting a doctor or going on a medication, it is necessary to have self-awareness. You may not be having a sleep disorder after all! Here is all you need to know about Sleep disorders, their symptoms, type and treatments.
What does the term sleep disorder mean?
Sleep disorders is a term used for sleep difficulties. It is a condition in which one finds difficulty in sleeping and/or find himself in a state of restlessness during the sleep. Due to this, one is exhausted in day, needs to take naps in day, finds their brain activity lowered and other issues.
Basic symptoms of the Sleeping disorder
Having a day or two of sleeplessness or with sleeping difficulties is not a sleeping disorder. If the condition stretches over weeks, then it can be. Sleeping disorder is a condition where you find difficulty in sleeping over a extended and regular period. Where you are tired and sleepy even if you had 7 or more hours of sleep. And when you see that your performance is being affected.
Is sleeping disorder common?
While people believe that sleeping disorder is not common, it is. You don’t know what a person is suffering from in his bed. Data set by US shows that more than 100 million individuals (i.e. people from all ages) suffer from sleeping difficulties. While 70 million people in US are suffering from sleeping disorders.
Are there types of sleeping disorders?
Yes, there are more than 50 types of sleeping disorders. The most common ones are related to less sleep. which is Insomnia. However, other more common type of sleeping disorders are Sleep Apnea, Restless legs syndrome and Narcolepsy.
How many hours should I sleep?
The amount of sleep that one requires depends upon age and gender. Children and elderly people need more than adults. The adults are required to sleep 7 to 9 hours a night. However, depending upon their work type, daily routine and any disease, they may need more or less sleep. However, enormous studies show that the average sleep of adults has declined to 6.4 hours a night on weekdays while 7.7 hours on weekends. The people are sleeping less than before. There is a downward trend in sleep through years. The basic factors behind this use of internet at night, watching TV or bringing work from office. (Data from National Sleep Foundation in America).
Common emerging sleep problems
Sleep problems are becoming common among children, adults and elderly people. In past, people did not experience much sleeping problems and would sleep continuously. But now sleep seems to be disturbed. Nonetheless, most adults show that there is sleep is disturbed as they need to use washroom, are struck by pain or discomfort at night!
Most children, also show reduction in sleep by 1-2 hours. The reasons of reduced sleep among the children are use of caffeine, watching TV or using mobiles at night. Such has reduced sleep by 1-4 hours among the children.
Sleeping disorders: causes and symptoms
Here are some of the common causes and symptoms of sleeping disorder:
Causes of sleeping disorders
Sleeping disorders can be due to various reasons. These are:
- Disease like ulcer can give heating and burning effects and disturb sleep
- Medical conditions like Asthma
- Anxiety and depression
- Use of alcohol and caffeine
- Night jobs which disturb biological clocks
- genetics
- certain medicines which disturb sleep
- aging
Symptoms of sleep disorders?
Some common symptoms of sleeping disorders are:
- Falling asleep in between crucial work such as driving
- Can’t stay awake while watching TV or reading books
- Cannot perform well at home, work or school
- look sleep driven, as eye sacks develop and freshness ion face fades
- having a loss of memory or difficulty in memorizing or remembering
- becoming emotional
- always looking for naps
- reduction in response
Insomnia: a common sleep disorder
Insomnia is one of the most common sleep disorders. Even if you google the word sleep disorder, it will suggest that it is synonymous to Insomnia. It is the phase where people find it difficult to sleep or staying asleep.
Symptoms of Insomnia
Following are the common symptoms of insomnia:
- having difficulty in falling asleep
- waking up at night and then not being able to fall asleep
- waking early in morning even though slept late at night
- not fresh in the morning and feel lazy and fatigued
- having daytime sleep related problems such as anxiety, mood swings, fatigue, stress, concentration on work
Types of insomnia
There are different types of insomnia. This categorization is on their basis of being crucial. Reports claim that 50% of people go through just a phase of insomnia and is not a permanent sleep disorder. While 10% do suffer it. Thereby, the most common type of insomnia is short-term (or the acute or adjustment insomnia). Such can be as short as one night and extending over a week. It is basically due to a stress such as loss of job, death or disease of someone special, illness, external factors such as light, temperature, new place, uncomfortable pillow etc.
Long-term or chronic insomnia which lasts as long as 3 weeks to more is due to depression and other factors such as aging and medication. The main reasons behind such is depression, chronic stress and pain or discomfort at night.
How to cure sleeping disorders?
Your sleep is very important. I have already discussed that sleep is important for your mental wellbeing and how to get the proper amount of sleep. If you are at early stages of sleep difficulties, you shall try out those tips. But, if you have developed the disorder, consult a doctor. Little sleep will drive you crazy! Your time in bed has to be peaceful. make sure you sleep tight and right! Here are some simple tips to improve your sleep!
