Insomnia or lack of sleep may have a big effect on judgment, memory, hand to eye coordination, well-being, and reaction-time. Many people who get only four hours of sleep at night take naps during the day. If you’re sleep deprived you can easily be more irritable and anger easily whereas if you’re not sleep deprived you might feel more relaxed and happy as you went about the day.
Sleep deprivation can suppress or damage the immune system and people whose immune systems are already compromised with various ailments and illnesses will suffer even more. It’s reported that the average adult needs about nine hours of sleep, but many studies and people dispute this; report range from four hours to ten hours a night. Some of the most common sleep disorder treatments are directed at insomnia, which in and by itself is a symptom of other disorders, such as, sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome and narcolepsy.
Make sure to see your sleep specialist as soon as possible if you think you may have sleep apnea or if your spouse or partner says that he or she hear you stop breathing during sleep; take them seriously and get check out by your doctor right away. If not treated, eventually, this sleep disorder – sleep apnea, can sometimes cause a stroke; sleep apnea can cause death if not treated. The disturbed sleep disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, is caused by a problem with the windpipe, a neurological disorder, or sometimes an unknown factor; it causes loud snoring and blocked airways.
The person suffering from a sleep disorder may have difficulty getting to sleep at night or staying asleep as well as having difficulty staying awake throughout the day; they may also experience completely different types of behaviors that prevent them from staying asleep during their normal sleeping hours. Many people who suffer from chronic insomnia worry during the day about not being able to fall asleep and this just contributes to the problem. There are a number of sleep disorders that can appear in different people and even those with similar sleep disorders often display very different symptoms.
The sleep disorder Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is an irresistible urge to move legs while sleeping and often accompanies Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD.) Hypopnea Syndrome is an abnormally shallow breathing or slow respiratory rate while sleeping. Narcolepsy is the sleep disorder of falling asleep spontaneously and unwillingly.
When you’re trying to fall asleep in bed do try to focus on anything pleasant, long enough to distract you from any worries that are keeping you awake. Many doctors are very reluctant to prescribe sleep medication unless it becomes absolutely necessary, which may be the case for you or anyone who is suffering from an injury that is accompanied by severe pain. Your pillows may make you feel as though you’re lying uphill or downhill and if they are too hard may press into your head uncomfortably, which will reduce the chance of your falling asleep.
Many contend they have trouble getting to sleep if they go to bed hungry, but research indicates that large meals before going to bed can cause indigestion and even additional sleeping problems; it takes the body a minimum of 2 1/2 hours to go through most of the digestive process and to be fully digested it takes about four or five hours or more but taking enzymes with your meals can speed up the digestive process. Some tips for getting to sleep include taking a warm bath, drinking warm beverages like a warm herb tea for example – but no caffeine, getting a gentle massage, listening to soothing music, repeating positive affirmations or other natural remedies. Some people say that sleeping with your head facing the north helps you fall asleep because your body is better aligned with the earth.
Check out your mattress to see if it’s too firm, too soft, or too lumpy etc. By going to bed at the same time each night, your body develops a natural rhythm as it begins to realize it’s bedtime. You might be allergic to something in your pillow – dust mites, the materials used, or the detergent or fabric softener used when it’s washed.
Concentrating on a few of the insomnia tips you’ve heard in the past may put your mind at ease long enough to allow you to get a good night’s sleep. Some doctors may offer sleeping drugs or medications as a short-term solution along with some insomnia tips, but hopefully will seek to find the underlying cause of the sleeplessness and treat the cause instead of the symptom. Some health experts suggest that contracting the muscles then relaxing the muscles starting with your toes and proceeding upwards as you lie in bed can help you relax.
Finding the best solutions to your sleeping problems or sleep disorder will be worth the investment in time. The choice of a specific treatment depends on your diagnosis, medical and psychiatric history, and personal preferences, as well as the expertise of the sleep specialist or sleep doctor. The doctors and other sleep specialists will have many treatment plans or remedies to offer once you’re diagnosed, if you go to a sleep disorder center.