The Different Sleep Disorders
Sleep is an essential component of life. It keeps a smile on your face, clears your brain, and energizes you for the day.
However, there are many different sleep disorders that can make sleep seem impossible to achieve a good night’s rest. Let’s look at the most common sleep disorders and what to do if you have them.
Insomnia
This is the most common sleep disorder. Insomnia describes the inability for you to fall asleep right away, or stay asleep.
Insomnia can be short-term. Maybe you have it because of life events, or just because of a phase. However, insomnia can also become chronic. If you haven’t been sleeping well for a month, you may have chronic insomnia.
Sometimes, insomnia is treatable through improving your sleep hygiene, or your bedtime routines that can make you feel tired. Other times, treating a pain disorder or a limb movement disorder may help with your insomnia.
Having a couple bad nights is normal. However, if you are unable to fall asleep for a while, seek help. Insomnia can have long-term effects that are not just you feeling tired all day.
Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a common disorder that involves your airway being blocked. Loud snoring is one symptom of sleep apnea. When your airway is blocked, the lack of oxygen causes you to wake up. In many cases, you may wake up hundreds of times each night without remembering.
Sleep apnea can make you feel tired all day, even if it feels you have slept for a full night’s rest.
To treat sleep apnea, consider CPAP therapy, which uses a machine to open your airways. There are other appliances you can wear, too.
Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)
RLS involves the inability to keep your legs still as you’re trying to rest. Your legs will burn, tingle, and hurt when you’re trying to rest. These sensations tend to get worse at night, meaning you will have trouble sleeping.
RLS is treatable through medication and therapy, so do not be afraid to speak to a doctor about it.
REM Disorder
REM sleep disorder involves you acting out the dreams you are having. Sometimes, we may mutter in our sleep, but someone with an REM disorder may punch in the air, jump out of bed, and do other activities that may put you or yourself in danger.
REM disorder is treatable through medications as well. You can be able to have a full night’s sleep without acting out your dreams. Dreams can be fun, but when you are punching in the air and doing other activities that can put yourself in danger, it’s time for help.
Getting a Diagnosis
If you are unsure if you have a sleep disorder, or if you are just having a couple bad nights, you can talk to a professional and get a diagnosis for it.
One website you can visit is Mind Diagnostics. This is a website where you can take a quiz, get a diagnosis, and then speak to a professional about your sleep issues. Therapy, especially cognitive behavioral therapy, can treat many disorders, including sleep disorders.
Sleep disorders are treatable, and you can get yourself a good night’s sleep. Once you are sleeping well, you will see the difference.
Many people do not get enough sleep, but you can change that. Seek help, figure out how to treat your sleep disorder, and then you’ll be able to live the best life possible.
