All human bodies and brains require occasional rest to continue performing at optimum levels. This enables certain physiological processes to occur that can not happen when you are awake. Since a part of your brain controls sleep, this or other related issues can affect the amount and quality of sleep you get. This is evident in the emergence of various sleep disorders San Diego. Sleep disorders and what they involve is discussed in detail below.
What are Sleep Disorders?
These are issues that inhibit your sleep or prevent you from getting adequate sleep leading to symptoms like daytime sleepiness. Lack of proper sleep can affect anyone from time to time. This only becomes a sleep disorder if:
· You are regularly tired during the day despite at least six hours of sleep the night before
· You have frequent challenges sleeping
· You have a decreased ability to do standard daytime duties
Causes
Sleep problems can result from multiple factors. The causes may be different, but they all affect the body’s natural sleep cycle making your daytime wakefulness exaggerated. Typical factors include:
· Medical ones like asthma
· Physical reasons like ulcers
· Mental issues like anxiety disorders and depression
· Disrupting your biological clock by working night shifts
· Environmental factors like alcohol consumption
· Certain medications
· Genetic factors like narcolepsy
· Aging beyond sixty-five
Signs and Symptoms
Sleep disorders can be characterized by:
· Difficulty staying awake when inactive, like when reading
· Falling asleep when driving
· Performance issues at school or work
· Challenges concentrating or paying attention
· Memory impairment
· Sleepy appearance
· Hard controlling emotions
· Slowed responses
· Need to take daily naps
The types of sleep disorders are many, while the common ones include:
Insomnia
This condition involves challenges in staying or falling asleep. Symptoms include:
· Difficulty falling asleep
· Unrefreshing sleep
· Waking up too early in the morning
· Daytime issues like mood changes, fatigue, or accidents at work
Occasional insomnia among adults is common, while chronic cases are rare. Insomnia can be alone or related to a psychiatric or health issue. It can last long due to discomfort, pain, or depression, or be short-term due to life stresses or environmental factors.
Restless Leg Syndrome
This ailment results in an intense, uncontrollable urge to move your legs. This feeling comes when you rest in prolonged poses. It happens mainly in the evening, making sleeping challenging. Patients need to walk around or shake themselves to eliminate the discomfort disrupting sleep.
Sleep apnea
This involves breathing interruptions while sleeping. Untreated cases are associated with stopping breathing when sleeping. The two primary types include:
- Obstructive sleep apnea due to an airway blockage when the tissue at the back of your mouth falls when you sleep, causing snoring
- Central sleep apnea, whereby the brain forgets to tell the body to breathe
Sleep disorders can be risky since they involve symptoms when you can sleep. This can make it challenging to identify, especially if you live alone. For more about sleep disorders, check our website or call our San Diego, CA offices.
