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Sleep disorders and how to overcome them

Sleep disorders and how to overcome them

There are roughly 5 types of sleep disorders that you need to be aware of: insomnia, sleep apnea, snoring, restless legs syndrome (RLS)/periodic limb movements in sleep (PLMS) and narcolepsy.

So if you are not sure whether you have a sleep disorder or simply don’t know what type it is, the following article can help:

Insomnia

Insomnia (otherwise know as a chronic inability to get high quality sleep) is possibly  one of the most common types of sleep disorders you will encounter as most individuals will experience it at some point in their lives.

Triggered by stress, a change in time zones, altered sleep patterns and poor bedtime habits, insomnia is easily treatable. Simply aim to improve your sleep hygiene, take part in relaxation techniques and try cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

If, however, you’d prefer to improve your sleeping patterns naturally, the support of a natural supplement such as NightCalm can help. Proven to boost the serotonin levels within your brain, the 5HTP within this supplement can help you to experience longer, more restful sleep from day one.

Sleep apnea

This sleeping disorder can prove potentially dangerous if you do not get it corrected, as sleep apnea essentially makes you either stop breathing or take very shallow breaths.

Each pause in breathing is believed to last between 10-20 seconds and occurs 20-30 times an hour. Unsurprisingly this causes you to wake up coughing so you can begin breathing properly again.

The most common symptoms of sleep apnea include: frequents gaps in breathing during sleep; gasping/choking for air to restart breathing (which usually wakes you up); loud snoring and feeling un-refreshed/excessively tired during the day, and are usually caused by:

•    Excessive weight (obesity)
•    Large tonsils or adenoids
•    Nasal congestion
•    A blockage
•    A uniquely shaped neck, head or chin

If you are worried you might have this sleeping disorder, the safest way to treat it is to lose weight, elevate your head from off the bed, sleep on your side or wear a CPAP (a mechanical device which provides continuous air pressure that keeps your airways open).

Snoring

Often confused with sleep apnea, snoring can affect the sleeping patterns of both you and your partner.

Triggered by your airway becoming narrow through poor sleep posture, excessive weight or physical abnormalities in your throat, this sleeping disorder can easily be treated. Try sleeping on your side, losing weight or elevating your head as this can help to open up your airways.

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) and Periodic limb movement in sleep (PLMS)

Both of these sleeping disorders can lead to a very eventful night:

•    RLS – occurs when you get an irresistible urge to move your legs or arms when you are resting or lying down. It usually feels quite uncomfortable and can be recognised as a tingly/creepy sensation crawling up your limbs.
•    PLMS – involves involuntary, rhythmic limb movements when you are awake AND when you are asleep.

Increasing your physical exercise is the best way to deal with these 2 sleeping disorders as they will help to alleviate this desire to move; however we recommend speaking to your physician to see if there is a deeper reason.

Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy, otherwise known as ‘sleeping attacks’, is a neurological disorder that can cause extreme sleepiness even when you have had plenty of sleep. Often causing you to fall asleep suddenly and without warning, narcolepsy is commonly caused by a lack of hypocreatin in the brain which helps to regulate sleep and wakefulness.

The problem with this sleeping disorder, however, is that it can prove incredibly dangerous if you are walking, driving or working, and can make living a normal life very hard.

If you are worried you may have narcolepsy, common symptoms include: intermittent, uncontrollable episodes of falling asleep; excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden losses of muscle control during emotional situations (cataplexy).

Unlike, many of the sleeping disorders listed above, narcolepsy requires a combination of medication, behavioural treatments and counselling to cure.

How to deal with your sleeping disorder

If you suffer from a sleeping disorder, there are a number of treatments you can utilise to regain control of your sleeping patterns:

•    Take a sleeping aid – as mentioned above, sleeping aids such as NightCalm can naturally help you to increase your serotonin levels which in turn help to regulate your sleep. By naturally boosting these levels, you can benefit from a long and rested night as well as experience: improved memory, concentration, sexual appetite and injury recovery; alleviation from depression, anxiety, stress, migraines and headaches, and a reduction in your appetite, headaches and aggression.
•    Exercise – increasing your daily physical activity, especially during the afternoon, can help to reduce stress and make your body/limbs naturally tired.
•    Keep a sleep diary – compiled by you and your partner, a sleep diary can help to identify your triggers, and help you to resolve them. Simply aim to list the time you went to bed and woke up (number of hours); your quality of sleep (how often did you wake up); foods/drinks you consumed before bed; your mood/feelings before bed (happy, sad, stressed, anxious) and if you are taking any drugs or medication.
•    Relax – meditation, yoga, reading and listening to sleep music can all help to alleviate stress and anxiety, and remove any distractions that might be keeping you awake. Simply try to do an activity that you enjoy and that makes you feel positive and happy.

There are numerous sleeping disorders, and some of the most common ones are insomnia, narcolepsy, night terrors and sleepwalking. Find out how sleep patterns are affected for insomniacs with help from a licensed mental health counselor in this free video on psychological disorders. Expert: David Thomas Contact: WTGTampa.com Bio: Dr. David Thomas has been certified as a licensed mental health counselor in the state of Florida since 1986 and in the National Board of Certified Counselors since 1987. Filmmaker: Christopher Rokosz

Related Sleeping Disorders Articles

what are some things that cause sleeping disorders and insomnia and what are some ways i can prevent them?

Question by broken flame: what are some things that cause sleeping disorders and insomnia and what are some ways i can prevent them?
i have trouble sleeping every night and it takes me 1 or 2 hours to get into a light sleep and another 1 or 2 hours to get into REM. REM is when ur body is actually asleep and resting. because i dont sleep well during the night it makes me sleepy iritable and unaware during the day when im awake. i think i have a sleeping disorder so i would like some more info on sleeping disorders and insomnia and some ways i can help my sleeping disorder go away. thnx alot.

Best answer:

Answer by ndtaya
Spicy foods, anxiety, worries about work or money, or relationships. You could try to avoid them, but doing some relaxation exercises before bed, or get a good sleep aid to help you. Personally, I used to get insomnia a lot, but then when I went on Zoloft for anxiety, my insomnia went away.

Add your own answer in the comments!

Snoring Problems, and Conditions You Could Have Because of Them

To many people, the most obvious snoring problem and condition that results from it is a lack of sleep. Whether it’s your own snoring that’s keeping you awake, or that of the person in the bed next to you, loud snoring can interfere with restful sleep for many. The issue of snoring problems and conditions of your health are not ones to be taken lightly.

A lack of deep, restful sleep does more than just make you tired the next day. Chronic insomnia can also cause or contribute to aching muscles, blurred vision, cardiovascular disease, clinical depression, colorblindness, decreased mental activity and concentration, depersonalization, a weakened immune system, dizziness, fainting, general confusion, hallucinations (audio as well as visual), hand tremors, headache, hernia, hyperactivity, hypertension, impatience, irritability, memory lapses or loss, nausea, psychosis, pallor, slowed reaction time, slurred and/or nonsensical speech, and weight gain. So when talking about snoring problems and conditions that result from it, you see that the list is, no pun intended, exhaustive.

How does one address snoring problems and conditions that result from it? To simply say that you need a good night’s sleep is very simplistic. If it were that easy, everyone would be able to do it. When dealing with snoring problems and conditions suffered, you must get to the root of your snoring (or the snoring of your bedmate) and then address that first, before you can address the resultant conditions.

Getting to the Root of Snoring

Many people assume that snoring is just because your mouth falls open at night, and that it’s a part of life. This may be true to a certain extent. Deep breathing can produce a sound that mimics that of snoring and sometimes the REM stage of sleep can bring on such deep breathing. However, when getting to the root of snoring problems and conditions of poor health associated with it, you must examine the issue a bit deeper.

Usually snoring is caused by problems with the soft palate, which is the area at the back of the mouth. When air passes over this area during breathing, it causes the membranes to vibrate, making the sound we call snoring. Collapsing sinuses can also cause snoring, as there is not much room in the nasal passages for air to pass through. There are also other causes of snoring, such as blocked airways, irritants or pollutants in the area, dry throat, and many others.

The Most Dangerous Snoring Problem and Condition

Chances are that sleep apnea is the most dangerous snoring problem and condition. Sleep apnea refers to a cessation of breathing during sleep, and which causes the person to wake up, even momentarily, to restore breathing. Very often the sufferer doesn’t know that he or she has this condition and is often unaware of the fact that they are waking up at all.

Sleep apnea is considered the most dangerous of snoring problems and conditions because this lack of oxygen during sleep can actually cause slight brain damage – not enough to put someone in a mental ward or anything so drastic, but enough to cause problems for him or her throughout the rest of the day. If undiagnosed and untreated, sleep apnea can lead to high blood pressure and other cardiovascular disease, impotency, memory problems, headaches, weight gain, falling asleep at inappropriate times such as while driving or at one’s place of employment, as well as work impairment and accidents due to fatigue.

Experts have found that children with untreated sleep apnea may be hyperactive. Additionally, some persons with severe cases of sleep apnea have even died in their sleep from this disease, although this is more typically common in severely obese persons. So, you see why sleep apnea is rightly called the most dangerous of snoring problems and conditions, as it’s not just dangerous, it’s downright deadly.

Sleep apnea is most often seen in obese persons, because this extra body weight puts undue pressure on the airways and the neck, cutting them off during sleep. Snoring problems and conditions are often experienced by those who are overweight because of this same issue. However, those that are overweight and who have a tendency to snore should speak with their doctor immediately, especially if their snoring has choking or gasping sounds to it. They should be immediately tested for sleep apnea.

Snoring problems and conditions caused by it should not be ignored. Not only does the snorer himself or herself suffer from these health problems, but so can the person in the bed next to him or her. It’s even been reported that excessive snoring has caused huge rifts in marriages, as one partner may notice it while the other one doesn’t, and a lack of sleep in one person can of course take its toll on both. So, add marriage problems to the list of snoring problems and conditions suffered because of it!

Treatment is Available

The good news is that there are many treatment options available for those who are snorers, even if they are chronically so. Snoring problems and conditions resulting from it do not need to be suffered indefinitely. There are pills, sprays, mouth guards, nose strips, snore pillows, and many other options that your doctor can recommend to help with this problem.

There are also many home remedies that you can do yourself, such as putting a humidifier in your bedroom to make sure that your throat is adequately moist, putting a pillow under your back and one hip to keep you on your side, smoking cessation, refraining from alcohol, and many other options that your doctor can share with you.

Snoring problems and conditions are serious and should be treated as you would any other chronic health problem, so don’t be embarrassed and don’t delay that conversation with your doctor. Help is available; you only need to reach out and ask for it.

Remedies For Snoring – How To Prepare Them At Home

Are you one of those who experience sleepless nights because your partner snores non-stop? Or are you the person who is snoring and wants to get over it, the cost-effective way? Get that odd noise out of your household today. Here are some simple cures for snoring.

To find a cure for snoring, we need to zero down on its cause. Research shows that snoring or stertor as it is medically referred to is cause by air vibration when it is forced through a small gap inside the throat which is stuffed.

Did you wonder why we tend to snore only when we are sleeping? When we sleep, our upper airway muscles relax and they wilt inward. This makes passage of air through the wind pipe tougher and hence apnea (stoppage of breathing of small instants)occurs which leads to snoring

When apnea occurs, there is an increase in Carbon dioxide levels in the body. In response to this, the heart rate gets affected and our blood vessels get narrowed. Thus the more time for which these muscles relax, the more the people snore.

There are people who do not realize that they are snoring. They toss and turn and wake up tired losing good quality sleep.Some people, when half-awake, even hear themselves snoring.
Obesity, smoking, driking, tonsilitis, sinusitus, common cold may all lead to snoring.

Snoring is closely linked to overweight people. This is because there is fat concentration on the airways that limits the air to go in and out freely. Losing weight will greatly help these people to stop snoring.
Consume healthy food and exercise everyday. Though it may seem unrelated, exercising is found to be very effective in getting rid of snoring. A relaxed jaw can work wonders in reducing snoring.

If you do smoke or drink, reduce their frequency. By minimizing consumption of alcohol during the night, you can overcome snorin and you will also experience a complete improvement in health. Research shows that bad sleeping positions can cause snoring. Lying on your back may cause snoring. So lying on your stomach or to your sides may help you overcome snoring.

Sorness of the upper respiratory tract, Nose blocks and tonsilitis are the chief causes of snoring in young children. Children, and even adults for that matter, tend to breathe with their mouth when their nose is blocked. This as expected leads to snoring. So if you started snoring because of cold, the snoring will also go away when you are rid of cold. That is it. Cure snoring through the above means. Curing it is necessary since it refects on our mood and our relationshio with others.

Though these remedies may cure the woes of most of those who snore, they are not a panacea. They can most certainly reduce snoring, but it may not completely cure it. Medicenes or sprays that are get at pharmacies to cure snoring are too at times ineffective. So it is better to take these home-remedies and not have anything to lose.