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The Most Common Types Of Sleep Disorders

The-Most-Common-Types-Of-Sleep-Disorders

Many medical illnesses that influence sleep duration and quality are referred to as sleep disorders. These conditions have an immediate impact on a person’s capacity to function normally during the day when they are awake. There are currently over 100 different types of sleep disorders, each with its aetiology, set of signs, and set of physical and mental repercussions. Nonetheless, the majority of disorders fall under the following categories:

  1. Inability to fall or stay asleep.
  2. A challenge to stay awake during the day.
  3. Disorders of the circadian rhythm.
  4. The propensity to respond to odd behavior instead.

All of these symptoms point to a physical or psychological issue that requires treatment from a doctor.

Causes Of Sleep Disorders

Those who receive at least a decent, undisturbed eight hours of sleep each night are healthy and do not have sleep disorders. Nonetheless, persons who may have sleep disorders encounter difficulties because of,

  1. Stress and anxiety.
  2. Allergies and respiratory problems.
  3. Nocturia, or frequent urination.
  4. Erratic and hectic schedules.
  5. Underlying psychological problems.
  6. Physiological pain.
  7. Other causes like arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, inflammatory bowel disease, etc.

Once this disease develops, it doesn’t seem to go away and eventually presents a significant obstacle to going about daily life as usual. Each of these triggers has a detrimental effect on our overall health, energy, mood, and focus. The best course of action is medical care and lifestyle change.

According to experts, protracted sleep difficulties become deeply ingrained with additional health complications, therefore early detection may help the condition be resolved more quickly. The diseases can directly impact people because they are connected to mental health problems. One may have to deal with issues like,

  1. Performance at work,
  2. Personal relationship,
  3. Other daily activities.

Types Of Sleep Disorders

1. Insomnia

Inability to fall or stay asleep is what it is. Jet lag, stress, hormonal imbalances, intestinal issues, and other underlying medical conditions can all contribute to insomnia. Your general health and quality of life are harmed. Also, it may contribute to things like depression, weight gain, irritability, and a lack of focus at work or school, to name a few.

2. Sleep Apnea

This sleep disorder is characterized by unsteady breathing. Since the body uses less oxygen, the disease is quite dangerous and patients can have sudden episodes of falling asleep and waking up throughout the day and night.

3. Parasomnias

This is a different subtype of sleep disorder that is brought on by strange behaviors and movements while you sleep. Unconsciously adopting these behaviors, the person who does so has no memory of it later.

4. Restless Leg Syndrome

RLS is the constant, intense impulse to move your legs. This impulse, which frequently comes on at night but can also happen during the day, is accompanied by a tingling sensation. Although it is related to more serious medical illnesses including Parkinson’s disease and ADHD, the precise cause of this behavior is not always known.

5. Narcolepsy

Fits are a symptom of this extremely difficult condition, as the name implies. When the person is awake, they frequently experience “sleep attacks,” which cause them to feel drained and sleepy right away. As a result, a person may eventually develop sleep paralysis, which makes it impossible for them to move when they awaken. Your body may be using this to alert you to a potential neurological condition, such as multiple sclerosis.

Symptoms Of Sleep Disorders

The degree and kind of the condition determine the symptoms of each form of sleep disorder. The severity of any underlying conditions will also be a factor. Typically, the prominent signs include

  1. Difficulty falling or staying asleep at night.
  2. Immense daytime fatigue due to lack of REM sleep.
  3. Tendency to take naps in the day to compensate for lack of sleep.
  4. Unusual urges, movements and breathing patterns during sleep.
  5. Anxiety and lack of concentration.
  6. Depression and stress eating.

Diagnosis

In light of the underlying symptoms, your doctor will evaluate your worries and may recommend one or more of the following tests.

1. Polysomnography (PSG)

This is a sleep study to ascertain your sleep pattern by measuring the oxygen levels in your body, tracking your movements, and monitoring your brain activity. This is a tried-and-true test to identify sleep apnea.

2. Electroencephalogram (EEG)

Your brain’s neuro-electrical activity will be evaluated during this examination to look for any potential issues.

3. Multiple sleep latency tests (MSLT)

This research on daytime naps is combined with a PSG test at night to help identify narcolepsy.

The outcomes of these tests are crucial components in choosing the patient’s appropriate course of treatment. The results will be used to advise lifestyle modifications that can help the body’s circadian rhythm return, like:

    1. A vitamin and nutrient-rich balanced diet.
    2. Reducing sugar and increasing fish intake.
    3. Drinking less water before bed.
    4. Limiting intake of caffeine, tobacco and alcohol.
    5. Proper exercise to reduce stress and increase the oxygen flow in the body.
    6. Switching to low-carb dinner options.
    7. Timely sleep cycle.

In addition, the physician may recommend drugs such as sleeping pills, melatonin supplements, allergy and cold medications, dental guards (for teeth grinding), breathing devices (for sleep apnea), and any other drugs that the specialists think appropriate. Please take note: never choose medicine for a sleep disorder unless specifically encouraged to do so by a doctor.

Sleep disorders can have a damaging impact. There will come a time when you need to find help right away. Nevertheless, given how long it takes for old, persistent cases to recover, that will only be achievable for short-term cases. Yet you must seek medical help as soon as insomnia starts to interfere with your daily activities. If you have a similar issue, please don’t hesitate to stop by or call us to schedule a consultation with a sleep expert. By choosing a timely diagnosis at the Kothari Medical Centre Hospital, you might simply be resolving a much wider issue. Schedule a consultation with one of our top pulmonologists right away.

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