What are sleep disorders?
A sleep disorder is a disorder that negatively affects one's sleeping patterns and behaviors, which can then lead to future health issues. Sleep disorders are very common with over 50 million Americans being diagnosed with chronic sleep disorders. The most well-known sleeping disorders are insomnia, narcolepsy, sleep apnea, and night terrors. There are a variety of symptoms and causes of sleep disorders, so in this article we will be covering the most common sleep disorders and their symptoms.
Insomnia.
Insomnia is the most commonly diagnosed disorder among the sleep disorders, with around one third of adults reporting having insomnia. Insomnia causes issues with staying asleep, as well as falling asleep, and can lead the patient to feel drowsy and exhausted during the day.
Some symptoms of insomnia are:
Waking up in the middle of the night
Not feeling fully well-rested after a full night's sleep
Feeling extremely fatigued through out the day
Difficulty with focusing and memory
Increased anxiety
The main causes of insomnia are:
Stressful lifestyle
Unhealthy sleep schedules
Eating through out the night
Traveling ( jet-lag )
Night-time medications
Separate illnesses
Narcolepsy.
Narcolepsy is less common than insomnia, however it impacts around 200,000 Americans, with only 25% receiving professional treatment. Narcolepsy causes a patient to involuntary fall asleep at random intervals during the day due to sleepiness.
Some symptoms of narcolepsy are:
Fatigue during the daytime
Sleep paralysis
Cataplexy ( sudden loss of muscle power )
Hallucinations
The main causes of narcolepsy are:
Genetics
Fluctuating sleep patterns
Infections
Large amounts of stress
Sleep Apnea:
Sleep apnea is another common sleep disorder, with around 39 million Americans experiencing this disorder. Sleep apnea involves irregular breathing patterns during sleep, which may cause a patient's breathing to suddenly stop and start again.
Some symptoms of sleep apnea are:
Loud snoring
Dry mouth
Fatigue during the day
Gasping during your sleep
Headaches
The main causes of sleep apnea are:
Genetics
Age
Lifestyle
Separate illnesses
Night Terrors:
Night terrors is our last sleep disorder, most commonly found in children with around 40% of children and a few adults experiencing this disorder. Night terrors cause the patient to suddenly awake from their sleep in a panicked and frightened state.
Some symptoms of night terrors are:
Waking up during the night
Heavy sweating while sleeping
Waking up confused or startled
Rapid heart rate
Having no recollection of having a dream
The main causes of night terrors are:
Separation anxiety
Substance and alcohol abuse
Lack of sleep
Head injury
Fever
Changing sleep schedule
Conclusion:
Overall some sleep disorders can be treated with professional help, however most sleep disorders can't be treated permanently, but instead can be managed to reduce their effects. Some ways a patient can reduce the effects of their sleep disorder is by exercising regularly, reducing nightly snacks, getting a full-night's rest, and reducing the amount of stress they experience.
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Assessed and Endorsed by the MedReport Medical Review Board
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