There are many people who suffer from sleep disorders, which is not hard to believe when you consider that over 100 different types of disorders have been found. Any type of disruption in an individual’s sleep pattern that prevents restful sleep from occurring or causes excessive sleepiness during the day can negatively impact a person’s capacity to function. The nighttime hours when the body is at rest allow the body to recharge, rejuvenate and heal. If those hours are disrupted, an individual will be affected in a number of ways, as the body and the mind cannot function properly without adequate sleep.
Sleep disorders take many forms. Insomnia is one of the more common afflictions pertaining to sleep problems. If you have insomnia, you will have difficulty falling asleep. Once you do fall asleep, you may find yourself waking up repeatedly during the night, or you might wake up too early and then not be able to fall back to sleep.
Stress can cause insomnia. If this is the case, it is most likely a temporary condition and will be alleviated upon a lessening of the stressful situation. Or you may be the type of individual who finds yourself periodically having episodes of insomnia that come and go, not necessarily induced by stress. You could also be a chronic insomnia, allowing your condition to last for long periods of time without any apparent reason.
Besides stress, there are other factors that can contribute to a condition of insomnia, including depression, a noisy or disruptive sleeping environment, physical issues, alcohol, smoking, medications and napping during the day. If you go to bed and wake up at different times, that can also be disruptive to your sleep cycle and create a condition of insomnia.
You may have the opposite problem from insomnia, which is referred to as narcolepsy. This is a condition of excessive sleepiness, creating the need for naps during the day that interfere with an individual’s ability to function. Narcolepsy can be genetic and may be caused by a lower amount of hypocretin, a protein that is created in the brain.
If you have this problem, you may find yourself becoming sleepy every three or four hours. After taking a short nap, you will feel refreshed until the next episode occurs. Sometimes hallucinations and sleep paralysis may be a part of this disorder. The inability to move, known as cataplexy, may also occur.
If you travel a great deal, passing through different time zones, or have a work schedule that may be shifted to various parts of the day or night, you may experience sleep disorders due to your fluctuating waking and retiring routine. The jet lag you will experience when traveling certainly does not help this type of condition.
There are other sleep disorders that can disrupt your sleeping pattern, including night terrors and episodes of sleepwalking. These types of sleep issues can be especially common in young children but may also occur in older individuals.
When sleep is disrupted to the point where normal day-to-day functioning is difficult, it is time to consult a doctor and/or a sleep clinic to ascertain what is causing the problem and what can be done about it. There are various forms of treatment that can help to control sleep disorders, including medication and different types of therapy, such as sleep management. A peaceful environment in the bedroom that is conducive to restful sleep will help to combat sleep issues. Regular exercise during the day and a healthy diet also play a part in helping an individual to get a good night’s sleep.