A good night’s sleep is something that we are all hopeful for every night when we lay upon the bed and put our heads on our pillows. However, for an unlucky minority in the world, that is just exactly what they fail to get each night. There are many sleep disorders which affect people, leading to lack of sleep which then affects their daily life. Lack of sleep can cause stress, illness, depression and various other maladies that can take their toll over the course of many months or years. There are many different sleep disorders that can be seen, each being irritating in their own individual ways. There are also ways of coping with sleep disorders, with some sleep disorders being able to be cured, while others can only be managed. It is important to look at each individual sleep disorder according to how it affects the person in question.
One very common sleep disorder is insomnia. Insomnia takes many forms, from having an inability to sleep, to being a light sleeper who cannot get themselves back to sleep once they are disturbed, to being a very early riser, often waking at 4 am or so in the morning and not being able to go back to sleep. There are many causes of insomnia, such as anxiety, stress, smoking, medication, medical disorders, drug or alcohol abuse, too much sleep during the day, depression, and other factors. Symptoms of insomnia include irritability, dark rings under the yes, fatigue and apathy. Another common sleep disorder is sleep apnea. This sleep disorder occurs when the muscles in the throat become relaxed while a person is sleeping, causing laborious breathing, snoring, and in some cases, the breathing will stop completely. One result of this is that the person in question, who is suffering from this sleep disorder, can suffer heart failure. More commonly, though, the only symptom is very loud snoring.
Another sleep disorder to consider is restless legs syndrome. With this particular sleep disorder, people will experience an unpleasant sensation in their lower legs, causing great discomfort and disturbing their sleep pattern. The only relief from this sensation is to keep the legs moving, which keeps the person from getting a complete rest and at best allows them only to sleep lightly. People feel relieved when they move their legs. Continuous leg movements make the person unable to sleep well. This sleep disorder, although not life-threatening, is, nevertheless, very irritating. As with all sleep disorders, it is important to see a medical professional in order to both correctly diagnose the sleep disorder and to also find the appropriate treatment. Some sleep disorders are treatable by merely changing some aspects of your lifestyle, while others require some period of study in so-called “sleep hospitals”, or sleep-clinics. It is important, though, to ensure that all sleep disorders are treated properly and punctually, in order to prevent further complications down the line. An inability to get a god night’s sleep is something that can lead to a bodily breakdown, if not a mental one. It is best to be able to go through each day in optimum shape, and a good night’s sleep is a vital part of that.
