What is Sleep Disorder ? Sleep Disorder Treatment >>>
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| What is Sleep Disorder? Sleep Disorder Treatment |
In this publication, What is Sleep Disorder? How Is Sleep Disorder Treated ? What Causes Sleep Disorder ? You can find answers to questions like...
Also known colloquially as Insomnia, a chronic sleep disorder is when a person is sleep deprived more than three nights a week and the condition lasts for more than a month. Prescription sleeping pills and tranquilizers are recommended to be taken only for a short time.
at a glance;
How long people sleep varies greatly. However, if you're getting insufficient sleep more than 3 nights a week for a month, it indicates a chronic sleep disorder. The most common factors for disturbed sleep are stress, anxiety, and physical ailments. Insomnia and chronic sleep problems are most common in women and the elderly. Prescription sleeping pills and tranquilizers such as benzodiazepines should only be used for short periods of time.
Note: The information in this article is not a substitute for a doctor's visit and is not intended and should not be used for self-diagnosis or self-treatment.
What is Sleep Disorder?
Doctors refer to chronic sleep disorder (insomnia) when a person is unable to sleep more than 3 nights a week for more than a month.
It is also characteristic that sleep problems impair quality of life. The causes of sleep disturbance and how it can be treated can be discussed with a doctor
When Does Sleep Disorder Occur?
If the sleep is not restful, it indicates a sleep disorder. Sleep is considered non-restorative if someone:
- It takes a long time to fall asleep
- Sleeps restlessly at night and wakes up frequently
- Lying awake late at night
- Wakes up earlier than usual in the morning and then cannot go back to sleep
How Much Sleep is Normal?
Sleep duration is different for each person and depends, among other things, on how old the person is.
Some generally need less sleep, while others need more sleep. Average values per night:
- 6-year-olds: about 9 hours
- Adults: about 7 hours
- Older people over 80: about 6 hours
Sleep means total sleep time. It starts when you fall asleep and ends when you wake up completely. If waking times occur in between, these times are deducted when calculating the total sleep time. If it takes about half an hour to fall asleep after turning off the light, this is quite normal and nothing to worry about.
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| What is Sleep Disorder? Sleep Disorder Treatment |
What are the Causes of Sleep Disorder ?
A good night's sleep can be disrupted by several factors. Possible causes of insomnia include:
- Noise
- Worries and stress
- Stressful life events such as separation or serious illness
- shift work
- Alcohol, drugs, caffeine
- Teeth grinding (bruxism)
- Nocturnal respiratory arrest (sleep apnea)
- Complaints such as urge to urinate at night, hot flashes, pain
- Restlessness in the legs (restless legs syndrome)
- Certain medications such as serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants and dopamine agonists used in Parkinson's disease
How Common Are Sleep Disorders ?
Anyone who sleeps poorly at night is not alone: around a third of people have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep.
Insomnia and chronic sleep problems can occur at any age,
even in young children. However, women and the elderly are more likely to have
trouble sleeping.
How Is Sleep Disorder Diagnosed ?
A sleep diary or smartphone apps can help find out what possible triggers for sleep disturbance are: Making a note of when sleep isn't very restful and what's going on these days can help identify connections or a particular pattern. Such recordings are sometimes used by doctors to better assess the severity of sleep problems.
In a detailed examination (anamnesis), the doctor first asks about symptoms, habits and signs of possible causes, for example:
- Which drugs do you use or not?
- Whether and when to consume caffeinated beverages, alcohol, or drugs
- Whether personal and occupational stress or psychologically stressful events may play a role.
- Whether the pain is physical or mental illness
In addition to the physical exam, blood is also drawn to clarify whether a medical condition is causing the sleep problems. If so, it will be given priority. Chronic kidney failure and diseases of the thyroid gland, heart and lung can disrupt sleep, among other things. Sleep problems may also be associated with mental illnesses such as anxiety disorders or depression.
Severe sleep disorders and insomnia can be examined by
doctors by monitoring sleep for one or more nights in the sleep laboratory and
recording sleep stages. Among other things, it can be determined whether there
is enough deep and dreamy sleep and whether there is a sleep disorder.
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| What is Sleep Disorder? Sleep Disorder Treatment |
How Is Sleep Disorder Treated ?
There are numerous medications and methods to treat insomnia, but their effectiveness has not been adequately studied:
- Improved “sleep hygiene”: eating only light meals some time before bedtime; drink less alcohol and coffee; not watching TV in bed; only go to sleep when you're really tired
- Home remedies: take a warm bath before going to bed; drink a glass of warm milk or a glass of calming tea
- Herbal sleeping pills and sedatives: eg valerian
- Relaxation techniques: progressive muscle relaxation, autogenic training and other techniques
- Physical activity: evening walks; gentle types of movement, such as yoga, tai chi, or qigong
If a sleep disorder is diagnosed, the following treatments are possible, for example:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy: This therapy method can help change thought patterns and behaviors that may be keeping you from sleeping.
- Medicines containing melatonin: They increase the level of the "sleep hormone" melatonin in the blood. For example, they are used when the sleep-wake cycle is disrupted due to shift work or time differences (jet lag).
- Prescription sleeping pills from the group of benzodiazepines and benzodiazepine-like Z-substances: they have a sleep-inducing, tranquilizing and anxiolytic effect.