April 29, 2021
Sleeping disorders are one of the most common health issues that many people experience. Now, when people talk about sleeping issues, most people typically think of hypersomnia or insomnia, but there are several different types of sleeping disorders. Regardless of which type of sleeping disorder you may be experiencing; it can significantly affect the quality of your health and life.
That said, take a look at some of the most popular sleeping issues and how to treat them. These include:
• Sleep Apnea
• REM Sleep Behavior Disorder.
• Narcolepsy
• Insomnia
• Restless Legs Syndrome
Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder that can seriously affect the quality of your health and your day-to-day activities. People with sleep apnea find it difficult to breathe while sleeping. Sleep apnea is typically characterized by loud snoring, extreme fatigue or sleepiness during the day, waking up with a dry/sore throat, waking up gasping or choking, and so on.
Treatment For Sleep Apnea
Thankfully, sleep apnea is treatable. The main treatment methods for sleep apnea include:
CPAP Therapy - This involves the use of a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure therapy) machine to keep your airways open as you sleep. This is one of the most commonly used sleep apnea machines, however, other treatment options include wearing oral or dental equipment, surgery, and weight loss (for obese or overweight people).
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder
A person with REM sleep behavior disorder will often re-enact their dreams in reality while asleep. People with REM sleep behavior disorder do not experience the muscle paralysis most people typically experience while asleep. REM sleep behavior disorder is generally characterized by shouting, crying, laughing, screaming or aggressive limb movements while asleep. When left untreated, REM sleep behavior disorder can cause injury to you as well as others around you.
Treatment For REM Sleep Behavior Disorder
Like other types of sleep disorders, REM sleep behavior disorder can be treated with medications. Your doctor will prescribe medications that help you stay calm while asleep.
Narcolepsy
No doubt, narcolepsy is one of the scariest and common sleeping issues. If you experience narcolepsy, you may notice that you uncontrollably fall asleep at any time or during unusual circumstances, such as while discussing with a friend, eating, or even doing the dishes. People with narcolepsy are unable to regulate their sleep-wake cycle. Narcolepsy is characterized by uncontrollable sleeping, sleep paralysis, extreme drowsiness during the day, cataplexy, insomnia, hallucinations, etc.
Treatment For Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy can easily be with the right prescribed medication or by taking scheduled naps. Your therapist may also use cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) to help you control your sleep-wake cycle.
Insomnia
When people think of sleeping disorders, insomnia is probably the first type that comes to mind and that just shows how common this sleeping issue is. A person with insomnia will typically find it difficult to sleep or stay asleep. There are two types of insomnia:
Transient Or Short-Term Insomnia
As the name suggests, this type of insomnia often occurs temporarily and is often caused by a stressful or traumatic experience.
Chronic Insomnia
Unlike short-term insomnia, chronic insomnia is the term for the inability to sleep or stay asleep for at least one month.
Insomnia can be triggered by several factors, such as hormonal changes, medical conditions, poor sleep hygiene, etc.
Treatment For Insomnia
Generally, insomnia can be treated using prescribed medications. The prescribed medications typically depend on the type of insomnia as well as its underlying cause. For instance, your doctor may prescribe sleep medications if your insomnia is short-term. However, if your insomnia is triggered by an underlying issue such as anxiety or depression, your doctor may prescribe you anti-anxiety or antidepressant medications.
Apart from medications, insomnia can also be treated using hypnosis, stimulus control, cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), sleep restriction, or a lifestyle change.
Restless Legs Syndrome
This type of sleeping disorder is pretty much self-explanatory. Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is characterized by an uncontrollable urge or desire to move your legs while sleeping. People with RLS may feel like something is crawling on their legs, or experience tingling, aching, or burning sensation in their legs or other body parts. RLS is typically characterized by some of the following symptoms:
• A strong or uncontrollable urge to move your legs.
• Experiencing a tingling/burning or crawling sensation in your legs.
• Experiencing these symptoms especially at night, etc.
Treatment For Restless Legs Syndrome
RLS can be treated with the right prescribed medications and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Depending on the symptom(s) you manifest, your therapist will tailor your behavioral therapy to suit your needs.
If you or your loved one is experiencing any of these sleeping disorders, it is often best to see a doctor or therapist for professional treatment. When left untreated or unattended, sleeping disorders can do a lot of damage to your health and life in general.