We all go through distressing situations. The only time our minds and bodies get to rest and repair themselves completely, is when we are sleeping. But when this rest phase is disrupted, changes in our body and even our daily lives, occur.
Some people experience troubled sleep temporarily, while others have chronic conditions that they try to control through therapy or medicine. There are a lot of sleeping disorders out there, both temporary and permanent, and here is a list of those most common. Trouble sleeping? Try to take the time to read through them all and ask: Could I be suffering one of them?
Insomnia:
This is the most famous of all sleeping disorders, perhaps, right next to snoring. It is a condition in which a person has difficulty initiating sleep or staying asleep.
There are two types of insomnia. Short-term or situational insomnia stems from a particularly stressful situation from work, family, or any other aspect of one’s life. It can also be caused by accidents or events that have given a person a great deal of strain, anxiety or trauma.
The second one is called, chronic insomnia. Its symptoms include months of poor sleep, or even the lack of sleep. This condition is usually related to another sleeping disorder.
Sleep Apnea:
Sometimes, while a person is sleeping, the breathing stops for approximately ten seconds or more. This is called sleep apnea, and it can prove fatal depending on what kind of obstruction caused it.
Again, it has two types. The first of which is called obstructive sleep apnea. This happens when the airway itself gets blocked for a moment because of the structure of the throat or the airway itself. It can also be caused by the weight of the neck and its muscles.
The second one is called central sleep apnea. This type is quite dangerous, as it involves the brain. In this case, the brain fails to send signals for breathing.
Restless Legs Syndrome:
This is a condition wherein you have an irresistible urge to move your legs, or in some cases, even your arms. There’s this unidentifiable sense of creepiness or itching that occurs, hence the need to constantly move your limbs. The worst part is that these irritating sensations start getting worse the more you get relaxed.
Narcolepsy:
This neurological disorder affects the mechanism in the brain that controls sleep. A person with narcolepsy usually has excessive daytime sleepiness, which typically kicks in during inappropriate moments. On some occasions, a person with such condition just sleeps while doing something like driving, eating, or even talking.
Shift Work Sleeping Disorder:
When the schedule of a person’s work or business is out of sync with his or her body clock, (like when work shifts or schedules keep changing), shift work sleeping disorder occurs.
Some people can adapt to changes in work schedules, but some cannot keep up with the demands of stress and work load, especially if the schedule is different from what they were once used to. They become lethargic and sleepy on the job, which a lot of times can become really harmful. In a sense, this is a type of sleep deprivation.
Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder:
In this condition, a person’s whole 24-hour worth of sleep and wakefulness is delayed. Even the body clock is delayed; thus, a person with such dire situation usually wakes up late, goes to work late, and sleeps really late. This disorder makes the 9 AM to 5 PM shift of work difficult for some people.
It’s really simple to fight these kinds of conditions, whichever problem a person may have. Proper sleeping routines and good sleeping habits will slowly make the body remember how and when to sleep properly. It is much like re-learning or re-training your body to do certain tasks. Also, lifestyle changes will certainly make big changes with sleep schedules.
If all else fails, visiting a doctor is the next best option. They would guide you with proper ways of handling these conditions. Never take pills unless licensed practitioners tell you to.