Regular, restful sleep is a rarity for a modern person. While full-fledged daily sleep is important for a normal functioning body, health and well-being, we often don’t receive this vital need because of our working schedules, family responsibilities, stress or sleep disorders. Here we identify sleep disorder signs that may have invaded your life and destroyed your sleep.
From time to time, everybody experiences conditions that can indicate signs of a sleep disorder. It’s normal, but if you do have regular sleep problems, pay attention to the symptoms.
Common signs and symptoms of a sleeping disorder
There are many different types of sleep disorders, but insomnia is the most prevalent. Sure signs of it include difficulty falling asleep, waking up in the night and not being able to get back to sleep. Other sleep disorders are narcolepsy, sleepwalking, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), bruxism, and restless leg syndrome.
Some of the signs and symptoms of sleep disorders include daytime fatigue, irregular breathing or lack of concentration that negatively affect your quality of life. Ignoring these signs can lead to less productivity and poor health, in general. Here’s a list of common signs you have a sleep disorder:
- An irregular sleep-wake cycle
- Difficulty falling asleep
- Snoring or stopping breathing during sleep
- Waking up often while sleeping
- Having unrefreshing sleep
- Sleepiness during the day
- Irritability, anxiety or fatigue
- Lack of concentration
- Depression
Check if you have any of these sleep disorder signs because sleeping 7-9 hours is not always the key to success. High-quality sleep is a must. You should contact your doctor if you wake up tired and feel sleepy during the day.
Signs of sleep disorder: consequences and diagnosis
Sleep specialists will analyze your symptoms and create a record that allows them to identify the possible root cause. A polysomnography test may be recommended to prove the signs you have are a sleeping disorder.
You can also use a home sleep monitoring app on your smartphone to detect snoring – a sign of the OSA sleep disorder. Download the app from Play Market or App Store and begin recording your sleep sounds. After diagnosis, a doctor can prescribe treatments that will help improve your sleep and overall health.
In many instances, behaviour changes can solve sleep problems. Specialists recommend improving sleep hygiene, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding caffeine, meditating and exercising. Stay away from screens and follow a calming, sleep-focused routine before bed.
Why signs of sleep disorders are risky
Some sleep issues bring many dangerous consequences like cardiovascular diseases, osteoarthritis, Parkinson’s disease and are capable of contributing to chronic diseases. Other signs of sleeping disorders (lack energy, problems, concentration, anxiety) can exacerbate depression or anxiety, which in turn, contribute to a lack of sleep and lead to other disorders.
If you have signs of a sleep disorder which you have taken as normal, timely diagnosis and proper treatment are required to prevent more severe consequences.
