National Sleep Week: Sleep Disorders

All Information From: prnewswire.com, thensf.org, & mayoclinic.org

Sleep is something I know we all get plenty of–the full eight hours and waking up feeling refreshed. In reality, most of us probably get six hours or less due to activities, choice, sleep disorders, etc. Whatever the reason, sleep is important and most of us neglect our sleep health. National Sleep Week, running from March 12th - 18th, was created by the National Sleep Foundation to teach people about their sleep health, covering things from sleep habits to sleep disorders.

Sleep disorders are “conditions that result in changes in the way that you sleep” (Mayoclinic). They can affect not only your sleep, but also impair your driving ability and increase risks of some health problems. These disorders are categorized based on behaviors, breathing issues, problems with your natural sleep-wake cycle, difficulty sleeping, and how sleepy you feel during the day.

The more common sleep disorder that most people know is insomnia. Insomnia affects a person’s ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. There are two types of insomnia, acute and chronic. Acute insomnia lasts only for a few days or weeks. It is usually the result of stress or trauma. Chronic insomnia lasts a month or more, and can be its own problem or result of a medical condition or medication. Symptoms of both types include difficulty falling asleep, unable to stay asleep, not feeling well-rested after sleeping, irritability, depression, or anxiety.

Like acute insomnia, chronic insomnia can be caused by stress. Whether it’s work, financial, or family problems, the stress can interfere with your sleep. Travel across different time zones or certain work shifts can interrupt your sleep cycle. Furthermore, being on a screen before bed, using your bed for more than just sleep, and eating too much before trying to sleep can all affect sleep. Stimulants like caffeine and nicotine keep you awake, while alcohol prevents deep sleep.

Along with insomnia, sleep apnea is another common sleep disorder. The main types are obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), central sleep apnea (CSA), and complex sleep apnea. OSA is the more common of the three and is caused when the throat muscles relax, blocking airflow to the lungs. CSA is when proper signals aren’t sent to the muscles in control of breathing. Both OSA and CSA have overlapping symptoms. Several of these symptoms need to be reported by another person to know if you have them. The symptoms include loud snoring, gasping for air during sleep, morning headaches, waking with a dry mouth, and episodes where breathing stops during sleep. Complex sleep apnea can be caused when a person is treated for osa.

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) or Willis-Ekholm disease affects more than just your sleep. Occurring mostly at night while sitting or laying down, RLS causes an “uncontrollable urge to move the legs” due to an uncomfortable feeling (Mayoclinic). It can be momentarily eased by moving. The feeling has been described as crawling, creeping, throbbing, aching, itching, pulling, or electric. It is not usually described as muscle cramps or weakness. There is no known cause but it can be hereditary.

If you think that you suffer from any of these disorders or maybe even some other sleep disorder, talk to a doctor. Potential treatments vary for each disorder and the person. Good sleep is very important to your own health and wellness.

Some of the best things you can do to improve your sleep health are to keep a consistent sleep schedule and make your room a restful environment. Even on the weekend, you should be going to bed and waking up at the same time as you would on weekdays. If you can’t sleep, get up and go do something relaxing until you’re tired. Also, keep in mind what your room is like. It’s best to have it dark and cool. Whatever makes you the most comfortable should be used to help you sleep.