Sleep disorders are conditions that alter your sleep. They can affect your relationships, school or work performance, and concentration. Prolonged sleeping disorders can lead to severe conditions like diabetes or heart disease. About eight million individuals in the United States have sleep disorders. Sleeping problems are common but consult your healthcare provider, at Sleep Services of Maryland LLC if you regularly have trouble sleeping. Also, see your doctor if you often feel tired during the day, even after sleeping for seven hours. Doctors recommend adults get seven or eight hours of sleep during the night. Sleep disorders can be caused by medical conditions, depression, environmental aspects, medications, aging, or genetics. There are many types of sleep disorders, including:
Insomnia
Insomnia is a disorder where you have challenges falling or staying asleep. You have short-term insomnia resulting from life stresses like job loss, loss of a loved one, or environmental aspects such as noise. Long-term insomnia happens for three months or longer and can be caused by chronic stress, depression, and chronic diseases. About ten percent of adults have insomnia. Insomnia is characterized by having trouble falling asleep and frequent waking at night, inability to go back to sleep, and waking up too early in the morning.
Sleep apnea
Sleep apnea is a severe sleep disorder where you have breathing difficulties, interrupting your sleep. If you do not treat your sleep apnea, you will repeatedly stop breathing while sleeping. There are two types of sleep apnea, which are:
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
Obstructive sleep apnea happens when your airway is blocked, typically when the soft tissue of your throat collapses during sleep. Symptoms of OSA include snoring, fatigue, restless sleep, gasping for air while sleeping, and concentration troubles.
Central sleep apnea (CSA)
In central sleep apnea, your airway is not blocked, but your brain fails to signal your body to breathe. It is called central sleep apnea because it is associated with the function of your central nervous system. When you have CSA, you may gasp for air, but mostly you experience repetitive awakenings during the night.
Restless legs syndrome (RLS)
Restless legs syndrome makes you have an intense, often irresistible urge to move your legs. This sensation happens when you rest, like lying in bed or sitting for long periods. RLS usually occurs in the evening, causing trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. It can be related to daytime sleepiness, irritability, and concentration. You can walk around and shake your legs to ease the discomfort if you have restless legs syndrome.
Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a neurological sleep disorder where you cannot control sleep and wakefulness. It causes excessive daytime sleepiness and recurrent, uncontrollable episodes of falling asleep during the day. Sleep attacks can happen during any activity and at any time of the day. You may experience sudden muscle weakness accompanied by laughter or other emotions. Narcolepsy mostly begins between fifteen to twenty-five years, but it can be apparent at any age. In most individuals, it is undiagnosed, hence untreated.
Sleep disorders are conditions that alter your sleep. Insomnia, sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, and narcolepsy are common sleep disorders. Schedule an appointment with your doctor for sleep disorder treatment to improve your quality of life.