World Sleep Day 2023: Know All About Sleep Disorders, Symptoms, Causes And Treatment

Sleep issues come in a variety of forms and are frequently divided into groups based on behaviours, issues with natural sleep-wake cycles, trouble falling asleep, and daytime sleepiness.

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New Delhi: Sleep disorders cause changes in how you slumber. Your general health, safety, and quality of living may be impacted. Lack of sleep can make it more difficult for you to drive securely and raise your risk of developing other health issues.
Excessive daily sleepiness, irregular breathing, or increased movement while sleeping are a few indications and symptoms of sleep disorders. An irregular sleep-wake pattern and trouble getting asleep are two additional symptoms.

Sleep problems come in a wide variety of forms and are frequently categorised according to their causes or effects. Additionally, they are divided into groups based on behaviours, issues with your natural sleep-wake cycles, breathing issues, trouble falling asleep, and daytime sleepiness.

Some common sleep disorders are as follows:

1. Insomnia:

The inability to fall asleep or stay asleep is referred to as insomnia. Jet lag, worry and anxiety, hormones, or digestive issues are some of the possible causes. It results in a number of ailments such as depression, difficulty in concentrating, irritability, weight gain and impaired work or school performance.

Symptoms of Insomnia:

The symptoms of insomnia include various sleep difficulties and daytime problems. Common sleep issues that can signal the presence of insomnia include:

• Trouble staying asleep throughout the night
• Unwanted early morning waking
• Resisting sleeping at bedtime in children and teens
• Difficulty sleeping without a caregiver’s help in children and teens

In addition, insomnia causes daytime symptoms related to sleep loss:

• Fatigue
• Impaired attention or memory
• The trouble with work, school, or social performance
• Irritability or disturbed mood
• Sleepiness
• Decreased motivation
• Increased accidents or mistakes
• Worries about or discontent with one’s sleep
• Behavioural issues, like hyperactivity or aggressiveness, especially in children

Treatment of Insomnia:

If insomnia persists for a few weeks or even for months, here are some ways to treat it.

• Experts consider cognitive behavioural therapy to be the best for insomnia as it helps people manage their anxiety about their sleep issues and establish better sleep habits.
• Medication may be advised if an individual has severe signs of insomnia or when CBT-I is ineffective, which aids in promoting sleep, but it also has side effects that may include confusion or drowsiness during the day.
• Treatment for other diseases, such as sleep apnea or depression, often improves sleep if insomnia is linked to it. A doctor may change a patient's medicine or dose if their insomnia is a result of it. 

2. Sleep Apnea:

Sleep apnea is characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep. The body absorbs less oxygen as a result of this severe medical condition and you might wake up in the middle of the night as a result.

Sleep apnea comes in two different forms. When the tissues in the mouth and neck relax, the upper airway frequently becomes blocked, leading to obstructive sleep apnea. When the brain temporarily ceases to communicate with the breathing muscles, central sleep apnea develops.

Symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea:

Frequent symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea include:

• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Loud snoring that is often punctuated by gasping or choking sounds
• Headaches in the morning that may persist for several hours after waking up
• Dry mouth upon awakening
• Restless sleep with periods of wakefulness during the night
• Increased need to get up from bed to urinate
• Irritability or frustration
• Reduced focus

Symptoms of Central Sleep Apnea:

• Abnormal breathing patterns
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Difficulty in focusing
• Morning headaches

Treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea:

Most individuals with obstructive sleep apnea are treated with positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy. PAP therapy uses pressurised air that is pumped from a machine through a hose and a mask placed on the face to keep the airway open.

3. Parasomnias:

A group of sleep disorders known as parasomnias cause strange movements and behaviours while you are asleep which includes sleepwalking
sleep talking, groaning, nightmares, bedwetting, teeth grinding or jaw clenching.

Symptoms of Parasomnia:

• Sleepiness during the day
• Trouble staying asleep or difficulty falling asleep
• Frequent awakenings during the night
• Nightmares
• Confusion and disorientation upon waking
• Hallucinations
• Inability to remember what happened during the night
• Sleep paralysis

Treatment of Parasomnia:

Depending on the type of parasomnia you have and its underlying cause, there are various treatment choices available. The majority of parasomnias can be treated with a select few medications. The following is a list of these remedies.

• Medicines for insomnia
• Parasomnia treatment with cognitive behavioural therapy
• Parasomnia remedies at home