Sleep disorders are issues that cause because of the way your sleep may alter. A sleep disorder can affect your overall health, safety, and quality of life. Lack of sleep can affect your ability to drive safely and increase your risk for other health problems. It is also possible to classify sleep disorders based on habits, issues with the normal sleep-wake patterns, problems with breathing, difficulty sleeping, or how drowsy you feel during the day.
Sleep disorders are conditions that impair your sleep or prevent you from a restful sleep and, as a result, can cause daytime sleepiness and other symptoms. Everyone can experience trouble sleeping from time to time. However, you may have a sleep disorder if:
Sleep is very important. Not getting enough sleep can have adverse consequences on school and work performance, interpersonal relationships, health, and safety.
Trouble sleeping can be due to several factors. Although the causes may differ, the result of all sleep disorders is that the body's natural cycle of daytime sleep and wake is disrupted or exaggerated. Eight factors include:
To determine the cause of the sleep issue, a doctor might conduct a physical examination and take a medical and sleep history. Further testing may be required. During the exam, your contribution to insomnia. For example, you may be asked about chronic snoring and recent weight gain, which could suggest that sleep apnea causes insomnia. They will also likely ask you questions to see if you suffer from anxiety, depression, or other conditions that may prevent you from getting a good night's sleep.
Tests Used to Diagnose
There are a variety of treatments recommended by healthcare providers:
Your healthcare provider will recommend treatments based on your particular situation and may recommend the following medications and supplements:
Immediately consult your physician, if you experience these signs:
Medical attention is necessary if you experience one or more of these characteristics.
Sleep issues are attributed to preventable health conditions in some situations. For example, experts believe that weight loss can help overweight people with obstructive sleep apnea. In other cases, dietary changes may be necessary to avoid the progression of a sleep disorder. For example, exercise along with a healthy diet can prevent sleep problems.
Some problems can be avoided by using good sleep habits, called sleep hygiene. For better sleep, here are few suggestions:
The inability to fall asleep or get a good night's sleep can be caused by stress, jet lag, a health problem, the medications you take, or even the amount of coffee you drink. Other sleep or mood disorders can also cause insomnia, such as anxiety and depression.
While acute insomnia often goes away on its own, it can still have dangerous effects. If you have chronic insomnia, there are steps you can take to try to lessen your symptoms.
Insomnia is rarely an isolated medical or mental illness, but a symptom of another illness that results from a person's lifestyle or work schedule.
Complications of insomnia can include a lower performance at work or school. Slower reaction time while driving and a higher risk of accidents. Mental health disorders, such as depression, anxiety disorder, or substance abuse.
Not having enough sleep will damage the immune system, cause issues with thought, and lead to gaining weight. It may even increase the chances for some illnesses, asthma, and even car crashes because you don't get enough sleep.
