Quality and enough sleep are necessary for your body to maintain high productivity levels the following day. There are many reasons you may experience poor sleeping patterns or disturbances. Sleeping disorders are relatively common and affect many people worldwide. Bridgewater Respacare is a renowned pulmonary and sleep medicine facility with efficient sleep disorder management and treatment plans. More about sleep disorders and management techniques are discussed below.
Table of Contents
What are Sleep Disorders?
Sleep disorders affect the quantity and quality of sleep resulting in symptoms like daytime sleepiness.
Everyone can have problems sleeping occasionally. However, you may have contracted a sleep disorder if:
- You are typically tired during the day even after at least seven hours of sleep the previous night
- Regular difficulty sleeping
- Impaired or reduced ability to do normal daytime activities
Sleep disorders affect many people and may have adverse effects on your interpersonal relationships, school and work performance, health, and safety.
Causes of Sleep Disorders
Several factors are known to cause sleep disorders, including:
- Medical factors like asthma
- Physical reasons like ulcers
- Depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric disorders
- Night shifts that mess up your biological clock
- Alcohol dependence
- Sleep interfering medications
- Genetics, like in narcolepsy
- The onset of old age as sleep disorders are rampant in older people
Signs and Symptoms
The following symptoms characterize sleep disorders:
- Struggling to stay awake when inactive
- Falling asleep when driving
- Performance problems at school or work
- Difficulty concentrating or paying attention
- Memory problems
- Sleepy appearance
- Controlling emotions becomes challenging
- Slowed responses
- The need to take naps almost daily
There are several types of sleep disorders, with the common ones being:
Sleep Apnea
This dangerous condition is characterized by interruptions in your breathing when sleeping. You typically stop breathing several times during your sleep. The two common types of sleep apnea include:
- Obstructive sleep apnea is as a result of airway blockages mainly when the soft tissue at the back of your throat falls down during sleep
- Central sleep apnea is whereby the brain forgets to tell the body to breathe despite the lack of airway blockages. This condition is related to the function of the central nervous system.
Narcolepsy
This is a neurological disorder whereby sleep regulation through control of sleep and wakefulness is affected. Patients experience sudden episodes of uncontrollable sleep even during the day when doing any activity.
Restless Leg Syndrome
This disorder causes an irresistible intense urge to move your legs. Laying static for extended periods triggers the sensation. It typically happens in the evenings causing massive sleep interruptions.
Treatment of Sleep Disorders
Healthcare providers have recommended several treatment plans, such as:
- Supplements
- Counseling via cognitive behavior therapy
- Regular exercise
- Sleep hygiene through keeping a regular sleep schedule
- Minimize light
- Minimize noise
- Maintaining comfortable temperatures
Various medications can be administered depending on the disorder, i.e.:
- Treating restless leg syndrome with gabapentin
- Dealing with insomnia using doxepin
- Treating narcolepsy through stimulants like modafinil or pitolisant
Sleep disorders that cannot be managed will likely affect most aspects of your life, including relationships, sleep, school, or work. Your thinking capacity and mental strength become significantly diminished. Visit us online or call our offices in Bridgewater, NJ, for any sleep disorder inquiries.
