At one time or another, everyone has had some difficulty in sleeping; this is very normal and usually a temporary condition. The usual causes of a sleep disorder are stress and other external influences. If problems with sleeping begin to interfere with your daily routine, you may have a sleep disorder.
Sleep problems are the cause of more than just sleeplessness; being denied deep, high-quality sleep can sap your energy and have a detrimental effect on your emotional health and balance.
Understanding sleep disorders and sleep problems:
Often, sleep is seen as the barometer of your overall health. People in excellent health usually sleep very well, whereas those people who have difficulties with sleeping often have an underlying physical or emotional problem. Getting a good night’s sleep is essential to good physical health and emotion well-being. Even a small amount of sleep loss can have an effect upon a person; it affects their moods, energy, ability to cope with stress and overall efficiency. It is not wise to ignore sleep problems as that can lead to accidents, poor health, poor job performance and stress on relationships. Sleep is an absolute necessity to well being.
The persons “body clock” does not expect to get sleep during the day, which is abnormal, nor is having problems getting to sleep at night normal. Even if you have had a sleep disorder for as long as you can remember, and it feels normal now, you can still learn to have a better sleep pattern. Start by tracking your symptoms and associated sleep patterns, then try to make changes in your daytime routines and your bedtime habits. If this self-help does not work, there are people who specialize in analyzing sleep problems and are trained in sleep medicine.
Signs and symptoms of a sleep disorder:
Having periodic problems with getting to sleep or sleeping soundly are normal, how can you tell though if your issue is just a passing inconvenience or whether it is a sign of deeper problems?
You have to look closely at your symptoms, looking for signs of deprivation. If you are seeing any of the following, you may have a sleep disorder.
Do you?
- Feel irritable?
- Have difficulty in staying awake while sitting or watching TV?
- Feel very tired or fall asleep while driving?
- Have a hard time concentrating?
- Have slow reactions?
These are but a few of the symptoms.
Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder:
Insomnia is the inability to get the amount of sleep you need so that you wake up feeling refreshed and well rested. Insomnia is often just a symptom and not the disease; it may be a symptom of stress, anxiety, depression or some other health condition.
A sleep disorder can be a very upsetting and disturbing condition, having significant negative effects on your routines. Sleep specialists at Salt Lake Behavioral Health have long experience with the problem and can help you overcome it.
