What different types of sleeping disorders are there?
Sometimes we experience restless nights, and we are unable to have a good night of sleep. What happens when we experience the same every night? This is when we need to worry because we may have some kind of sleep disorder. There are different types of sleeping disorders but the most common among them is insomnia.
Insomnia is denoted by an inability to fall asleep,or to stay asleep for a long time. It is signified by wakefulness and restlessness and inability to go back to sleep. Insomnia is a condition where you wake up feeling groggy, irritated and tired during daytime. Several factors contribute to insomnia and chief among them being fear, anxiety, depression, stress etc. Insomnia results in a drop in energy level and mood swings. It can be acute or chronic or transient.
The best way to treat insomnia is by counseling and by cognitive behavior therapy. The therapy helps you to relax and ease your mind about worrying on the inability to sleep. This can be done by engaging your mind in some activity and guided meditation too. A change in food habits specially like avoiding coffee or alcohol is necessary to fight insomnia.
Doctors sometimes prescribe sleeping pills when insomnia is acute and the patient is heading towards depression. Often these pills have side effects and are prescribed on a trial and error basis. Other types of sleeping disorders include sleep apnea, snoring, restless leg syndrome etc. People with Sleep Apnea experience interrupted breathing during their sleep.
Alternatively, adenoids can cause sleep apnea. Among the types of sleep disorders, apnea can be dangerous and must be reported to the doctor, especially in children. He may perform a surgery on the tonsils or adenoids to eliminate the problem. Wearing a breathing mask is an alternative solution, as this would ensure smooth airflow and a good night’s sleep. Sleep Apnea can also be caused by underlying conditions like diseases affecting the nervous system. When these conditions are treated, the Apnea may withdraw.
Snoring may not be branded as a sleeping disorder, yet it does obstruct sleep patterns of self and the partner. Obesity and narrowing airways can be some of the main causes for this type of sleeping disorder. If the snoring is mild, self help remedies like sleeping on your side or on an elevated pillow could help.
Other types of sleeping disorders are restless leg syndrome which results in an overwhelming urge to keep moving the legs and limbs and Narcolepsy where one falls asleep suddenly. There is cure to all types of sleeping disorders, but the effect depends on how early they are detected and how soon you a doctor.
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Many of us want to sleep as little as possible. There is so much to do that sleep seems like a waste of time. Yet sleep, an essential time of rest and rejuvenation, benefits our minds and bodies in many ways. When you continuously don’t get the amount of sleep you need, you begin to pay for it in daytime drowsiness, trouble concentrating,irritability, increased risk of falls and accidents, and lower productivity.
Better Quality Sleep benefits to our mood, memory and concentration.