| The Various Sleep Disorders |
You've probably heard of insomnia, but did you know there are many more sleep disorders? There are several different kinds and can be grouped into a couple of different categories. This article covers some of the most common forms. After reading it, you should understand what they are and how they could be affecting you.
We've already mentioned insomnia. In this sleeping disorder, people have a hard time falling asleep and staying asleep. People who suffer from insomnia often complain that their mind won't switch off. Regardless of how tired they are physically, their thoughts keep racing, making it impossible to doze off.
Medical, psychiatric and neurological disorders can have a negative effect on your ability to sleep. Pain, depression and anxiety attacks can all damage your sleep and deplete your health and energy.
Some sleep disorders can develop regardless of what we do. Restless leg syndrome and sleep apnea are examples. However, insomnia is often caused by poor sleep hygiene and psychological stressors. You can often improve your sleep hygiene by cutting back on caffeine, taking fewer naps during the day and adopting a regular sleeping schedule.
Our personal sleep cycle can be sensitive to certain kinds of disturbances. Emotional and physical stress commonly lead to sleeplessness. Changing jobs, moving, financial difficulties, loss of a loved one, even jet lag can have a disruptive effect on your sleep rhythms. Things in your sleeping environment can also determine how well you can sleep. For example, a snoring spouse can wreak havoc on a good night's sleep.
If you work the night shift, or--even worse--rotating shifts, you will need to work especially hard to maintain a good sleeping schedule. The greatest danger you face will be developing delayed sleep-phase syndrome. This can occur when your biological clock gets out of sync with your surrounding environment.
Narcolepsy is a different kind of sleep disorder. Sufferers of this condition fall asleep suddenly and unexpectedly. Severe anxiety often accompanies this condition because of the uncertainty it brings to life.
More exotic sleep disorders include parasomnias. These conditions result in unusual behavior during sleep. Walking, eating, even driving while asleep has been observed among sufferers of these disorders. Not only are they dangerous to themselves while doing these things, they present a danger to others. Plus, they always wake up fatigued in the morning.
Sleep disorder of any kind should be addressed as soon as they are suspected. The first step is to discuss your suspicions with your doctor. He or she may be able to help you determine which condition is most likely and what might be causing it. Lack of sleep or poor quality sleep should not be ignored--sleep is essential to life.
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Article Source: UnArchived Articles
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