Most Common Sleep Disorders
14th September 2022Here are a few of the most common sleep disorders that will keep you up at night. Don’t panic, there are various treatments available to give you a better night’s sleep. Never self-diagnose, seek medical advice from a sleep physician as they will be able to recognize the symptoms and recommend treatment.
Insomnia
Insomnia is when you struggle to go to sleep or stay asleep, there are two different types, transient or short-term and chronic insomnia.
- Short-Term Insomnia
This often occurs in the aftermath of a stressful life event, for example, going through relationship issues or losing a loved one. It can also happen if you work shifts, have jet lag, are unable to relax, or experience disturbed sleep.
- Chronic Insomnia
Chronic insomnia occurs when you experience non-restorative sleep, and have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep leaving you exhausted during the day. Chronic intermittent insomnia is where you experience a sleeping pattern of a few nights of good sleep alternating with many nights of insomnia.
You can develop insomnia for various reasons, from breathing disorders to hormonal changes. Not getting enough sleep will leave you tired, unable to concentrate, and irritable, this will affect your social life. It can affect your health, you may also suffer from headaches, tense muscles, and gastrointestinal symptoms.
Treatment
A medical professional will prescribe medications tailored to your specific needs. If anxiety or depression is the underlying cause of your condition, your doctor will prescribe antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications.
There are non-medical methods, such as hypnosis, sleep restriction, cognitive behaviour therapy, and relaxation techniques, can be used to treat insomnia.
Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder where your airway repeatedly becomes blocked, stopping your breathing. When this happens, you’ll be making choking noises, snore loudly or wake up because you are oxygen deprived. This can happen once or twice a night, however, in severe cases it can repeat itself numerous times during the night.
Treatment
Some treatments may include, CPAP therapy, whereby a machine is used to keep your airways open as you sleep. If you don’t like wearing a mask you can opt to wear a dental or oral appliance. If these don’t work, go for surgery, obese people should try and lose weight and don’t sleep on your back.
Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is something that causes you to suddenly fall asleep and can occur at any time no matter where you are. People suffering from narcolepsy are unable to regulate their sleep-wake cycle and can fall asleep without warning. Generally, these people feel drowsy during the day and suffer from sleep paralysis.
Treatment
Treatment can be done through scheduled naps and medication.
Restless Legs Syndrome
Restless Legs Syndrome is the uncontrollable urge to move your legs, especially while resting. You may also experience aching, tingling, burning, and a feeling that something is crawling in your legs. Some of these feelings or sensations can occur in other parts of your body.
Treatment
Treatment depends on the intensity of the symptoms if your quality of life is affected it’s time to seek medical attention. Non-drug treatments should be tried first especially when the symptoms are mild. Do regular exercises such as walking, riding a bicycle, and stretching but avoid any intense exercising before bed. Limit or avoid, chocolates, nicotine, alcohol, some medication, and all caffeinated products.
Reduce your stress levels and get at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep, lack of sleep can worsen your symptoms. Take magnesium supplements and make sure you have healthy iron levels as iron deficiency is a reversible cause of RLS. When your symptoms are more frequent or severe, your doctor will prescribe medications to treat the disorder.
REM
REM sleep behaviour disorder is when you act out your dreams while asleep, lacking the muscle paralysis most people experience while sleeping. Some of the symptoms, shouting, talking, hitting, punching, screaming, and moving your limbs while asleep. When this condition puts you or anyone around you in danger, consider it as serious and seek medical assistance immediately.
Treatment
Medications can be used to treat REM sleep behaviour, but the most important is to prevent any harm or injury to yourself or others.
Having a sleep disorder can affect not only you but the people around you. So, to avoid any complications it is best to seek medical assistance as soon as possible.