Why is sleep such an important part of life and for the wellbeing of the human body? Without a proper amount of sleep, several hours of work, daily routine, your mood, and health get affected. Sleep is just as vital as food for your physical and mental well-being. Asleep disorder can lead to a much larger risk of developing numerous diseases and also put a person at a greater risk of being involved in an accident, which could have devastating consequences. Sleep is necessary to maintain critical body functions and restore energy. It is also important to repair muscle tissue and allow the body to process new information. When the body doesn’t get proper sleep it can cause a range of physical and mental problems including impairing your ability to think clearly, have complete focus on the things you do and react upon. Also, to have complete control over your emotions. The article mentions all types of symptoms and treatment of sleep disorders so that people could know everything related to it.
Sleep disorders are conditions that prevent you from sleeping well regularly. Occasional sleep disturbances such as jet lag, stress, and a busy schedule may interrupt your sleep. If your sleep is disturbed regularly then it might be a sign of sleep disorder. You can find many different types of sleep disorders.
Insomnia
The inability to fall asleep or stay asleep or remain awake throughout the night is referred to as insomnia. This is one of the most common types of sleep disorder that is affecting at least 50 percent of people in our country, at least once in their lifespan. Insomnia comes in two varieties: primary and secondary insomnia. Primary insomnia is not caused by an underlying medical condition. Secondary insomnia stems from another medical problem. Roughly half of adults report occasional bouts of insomnia, which are stretches of poor sleep lasting anywhere from one night to several weeks. Insomnia becomes chronic if it lasts longer than one month.
Symptoms of insomnia – The symptoms of insomnia include:
- Problems in falling asleep
- Waking up earlier without completing your sleep
- Getting up in the middle of the night and not being able to get back to sleep
- Even after having slept, you are feeling tired
- Feeling fatigued throughout the day or sleepiness
- Getting irritated and frustrated on every little matter
- Having poor concentration and focus
- Tension headaches
- Worrying about sleep
- Gastrointestinal symptoms
- Depression
Treatment of insomnia – Treatment of insomnia involves therapies, medications and lifestyle changes.
- Proper breathing techniques, muscle relaxation techniques and yoga can improve the quality of your sleep. Stimulus control therapy helps to restore the quality of sleep.
- Following a daily routine to relax before sleep.
- Making your bedroom comfortable to get a peaceful sleep.
- Avoid caffeine and nicotine before sleeping or in the late evening.
- Avoid having heavy meals late at night.
- Avoid drinking alcohol.
- Try to have dairy products such as milk, low-fat yogurt and cheese.
- You can also include poultry products such as turkey and chicken in your meal.
- Eat a variety of nuts and seeds such as flax, sesame, pumpkin, sunflower, cashews, peanuts, almonds and walnuts.
- Include vegetables mainly greens like broccoli, turnip, green onions, seaweed, spinach.
- Have grains for example wheat, rice, corn, oats.
- Avoid having spicy foods and food containing water like watermelon that pushes water through the body.
- Sleeping pills are prescribed for insomnia. It can be addictive so you should Free online doctor before taking it. Medicine includes Eszopiclone, Zaleplon, Zolpidem.
- Hormonal therapy is a supplement that helps to overcome insomnia. It is given usually in rare cases.
Sleep apnea disorders
Also called sleep apnea does not always affect a person’s ability to fall asleep. But, it contributes to insomnia. It is considered a serious medical condition. The phrase “sleep apnea” refers to breathing problems that occur when a person is sleeping. People with sleep apnea normally lack breathing while sleeping; however, if the condition is not treated promptly, it can lead a person to have repeated episodes of not breathing while sleeping. As a result, oxygen delivery to the brain and other vital regions of the body may be restricted. Obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea are the two kinds of sleep apnea. In most people, obstructive sleep apnea is most common. The airways are obstructed during sleep with this type of sleep apnea, which is commonly caused by soft tissue compressing inside a person’s throat. Central sleep apnea is a more serious and uncommon type of sleep apnea that does not include compressed tissue in the throat or a blockage in the airways while sleeping. Instead, issues with a person’s respiratory command centre are visible in Central Sleep Apnea and the brain may fail to signal particular muscles to breathe while the person is sleeping.
Symptoms of Sleep apnea Disorder
Common symptoms of sleep apnea disorders are:
- Most of the symptoms occur due to poor sleep and decreased oxygen level that results in irregular breathing.
- Irregular breathing in which a person’s respiration can become laboured or even stop for up to a minute at a time.
- Having trouble paying attention or thinking clearly
- Feeling excessive sleepiness during the day
- Getting morning Headaches
- Feeling irritable
- Snoring is quite loud and involves gasping, choking or snorting that may cause a person to wake up for a while.
- Frequent need to urinate
- Sore throat or dry mouth
Treatment for sleep apnea
- If have sleep apnea symptoms, you should see a doctor right away. It’s tough to treat sleep apnea without first figuring out what is causing it.
- The doctor may propose an overnight sleep study to assess your sleep, including your breathing, if necessary.
- When a person is diagnosed with OSA or CSA, treatment can help them sleep better and reduce their risk of long-term health problems.
- A doctor who is familiar with a patient’s circumstances is in the best position to discuss potential therapy advantages and dangers and provide specific suggestions.
- Some cases of OSA can be resolved by making lifestyle changes like lowering weight, limiting sedative usage, and sleeping on your side.
- Surgery to remove tissue and enlarge the airway can also be explored, however, it is typically not the primary therapeutic choice.
- People with this symptom may be offered medications to aid with daytime drowsiness.
- The most common treatment for CSA is to treat the underlying illness that causes abnormal breathing, such as a brain infection, heart failure, or altitude adjustment.
Narcolepsy
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, this is a persistent neurological disease. It has a terrible effect on the mechanism of the brain that controls the sleep-wake cycle. People who suffer from narcolepsy often find that they feel like they have been well-rested after they wake up in the morning, but throughout the day, they tend to feel sleepy. Narcolepsy can cause a person to fall asleep throughout the day in many situations. There are also numerous situations where narcolepsy prevents someone from sleeping through the night.
Symptoms of Narcolepsy
- Excessive sleepiness throughout the day is a common symptom of narcolepsy, which can make it difficult to concentrate as well as stay awake.
- During the day, sleep attacks can occur, causing a person to fall asleep abruptly.
- Cataplexy, which refers to difficulty with muscle control, is another symptom that some people may have, however it is a temporary condition that goes away.
- Low concentration and focus
- Sleep paralysis
- Hallucinations
Treatment of Narcolepsy
Lifestyle changes and medications can help to manage the symptoms of narcolepsy.
- Exercise and do meditation for a healthy lifestyle and make a daily routine or pattern to sleep.
- Central nervous system depressant is quite effective for treating cataplexy. It is usually recommended in some rare cases.
- Antidepressants known as tricyclic antidepressants are medications that are used to treat depression. It is usually prescribed in some rare cases.
- Stimulants that provoke the central nervous system to help you remain awake during the day.
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