Get Treated for Your Sleep Disorder

Can’t get to sleep every night? You may be having a sleep disorder.

If you find yourself tossing and turning in bed for the upteemth time in bed for several nights, then you may be one of the many that suffers from a sleep disorder. Sleep disorders range from insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and restless leg syndrome. In total, there are at least 84 types of sleep disorder.

Yet you cannot do without sleep. Sleep is more than taking a break from a busy schedule or resting. Sleep is an important part of our physical and emotional well-being. Many body functions take place when you sleep. Sleep also helps your body recover quicker from injury and illness. If you do not get enough sleep, you tend to have trouble with tasks that involve memory, learning, logical reasoning, and math calculations. Even just a few nights of not getting your needed sleep can cause stress in your life and make you less productive. Severe insomnia results in psychiatric problems in some people.

Here are three facts from the National Transportation Safety Board about sleep that you should be aware of:

1. 40 million Americans suffer sleep disorders, and most of them go undiagnosed.

2. The costs to businesses for sleepiness and lost productivity due to sleep disorders is an estimated $15.0 billion dollars.

3. At least 100,000 police-reported accidents in the United States are because of drowsy drivers.

The amount of sleep needed by any one person differs. Most adults need an average of 7-8 hours each night. An indication that you need more sleep is if you have trouble concentrating or remembering facts, or if you are irritable because of feeling drowsy.

Insomnia is a very common sleep disorder. It is defined as having difficulty falling asleep, waking up often during the night or too early in the morning. If you have insomnia, you will not feel refreshed when you wake up in the morning. Insomnia can occur from one night to a few weeks. It can be episodes that happen sporadically or continuously. Severe insomnia can last one month or more. Causes of insomina include anxiety, depression, pain, illness, irregular schedules, and drugs (including nicotine and alcohol products.)

There are ways to help sleep problems. Adopting regular hours is one. This means that you go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time in the morning. You should wind down at least 1 hour before going to bed. Do something relaxing like reading, taking a warm bath, or having a light snack. Also avoid caffeine at least 6 hours before bedtime. If you can, avoid taking naps during the day.

Restless Legs Syndrome or RLS can also be a condition that disrupts your sleep. It is often described as a creepy, crawling, and tingling feeling usually in the calf area. It can occur anywhere from the thigh to the ankle. If you have RLS, you will have an urge to move the affected leg. Sleep problems often go with RLS because it makes it difficult to fall asleep when you are experiencing those feelings.

No one knows for sure what causes Restless Legs Syndrome. Diabetes, kidney problems, and alcohol abuse are believed to bring about RLS. It also can be hereditary or be a result of a nerve being pinched in the lower back.

Insomnia and other sleep disorders can be treated. If you suffer from any sleep disorder, be sure to do something about it. You can also make an appointment with your doctor to find the underlying cause. Sleep problems can be caused by different disorders in various body systems. These disorders can be treated by different medical specialties such as neurology for narcolepsy and pulmonary medicine for those suffering from sleep apnea. Your doctor should be able to help you determine what sleep disorder you have and recommend the appropriate medical specialist for it.