The Most Common Sleeping Issues And How To Effectively Treat Them

Sleeping issues can be a real pain. Not having a good night's sleep affects almost every other aspect of your life. You might struggle to concentrate, be productive, have energy, and it can affect your health, especially if you are consistently having sleep troubles. Fixing sleep issues can help enhance your health, mood, and life tremendously. If you are struggling with sleep, here are the most common issues and how to treat them. 

Insomnia

To treat insomnia, you want to develop a sleep hygiene routine and address root causes such as anxiety or stress. 

Insomnia is typically characterized as not being able to fall or stay asleep. There are two types, the first is short-term, and the second is chronic. Short-term means insomnia occurs following a stressful life situation. It can also happen if you have difficult work shifts or jet lag. You might find that you can't relax or stay asleep, potentially because of the stress your mind and body are experiencing. In this case, cultivate a good sleep hygiene routine. This includes no coffee in the afternoon, no devices an hour before bedtime, and supplementing with magnesium if you are deficient. You may want to slowly wind down for bed instead of going to bed wired up, as this can make matters worse and cause you to become frustrated. 

Chronic insomnia is when you are unable to fall or stay asleep for at least a month. There are various reasons you may develop either type of insomnia. A root cause approach is best; some potential causes include hormonal changes, medical conditions, dysregulated circadian rhythm, and a disputed sleeping schedule. Address these issues first, and you will find that your condition improves. If you are undergoing stress or anxiety-related issues, seek help and try to develop strategies to help you manage better. 

Sleep Apnea

This is where your airway becomes blocked repeatedly, and you stop breathing. When this occurs, you might find that you choke or snore very loudly. You end up waking as both your brain and body are deprived of oxygen. This could happen once or twice a night and in severe situations hundreds of times in one night. 

There are two types of sleep apnea; the first is obstructive sleep apnea. What happens here is that because the person's airways may have an obstruction or perhaps the airways themselves are too small, the airflow is irregular or stops altogether. Central sleep apnea is the second kind, and what happens here is that there is some issue that indicates that the connection between the muscles that control your breath and the brain is not interacting the way they should. 

Sleep apnea can be treated through CPAP therapy, wearing a dental appliance, having surgery, losing weight, or positional therapy. CPAP therapy is where a machine keeps your airways open while you are asleep. There are also dental appliances that you can wear while sleeping. If these two don't work, you can have surgery. If you are obese or overweight, losing weight can help you get rid of or reduce sleep apnea symptoms. Many people find that they suffer the most with sleep apnea symptoms when sleeping on their back. Positional therapy involves a device that is worn during sleep; it helps support a side-sleeping position. 

Narcolepsy 

This sleeping problem is where you fall asleep suddenly at any time and in any place. You are unable to control your sleep and can fall asleep while eating or just out walking. If you suffer from narcolepsy, this means you are unable to control your sleep-wake cycle. You may experience sleep paralysis, hallucinations, and cataplexy. Cataplexy is where you have a temporary loss of control of your muscles. 

One of the ways to treat narcolepsy is through scheduled naps. There are various ways to control this condition through lifestyle changes, such as not having coffee past noon, establishing a routine, eating a healthy diet, and staying active. These can all help manage the condition better and regulate the brain and body. 

Other times stimulants may be offered to stimulate the CNS (central nervous system) to keep the sufferer awake during the daytime. This way, they can begin to regulate themselves to fall asleep at night. 

Sleep issues can cause serious problems but, luckily, many can be treated and managed through lifestyle changes. In the modern age, we are overstimulated by the constant barrage of information we receive and our lead's busy lives. Overstimulation can make it difficult for us to regulate our circadian rhythm, which is naturally stimulated and relaxed through the sunlight in the morning and the darkness at night, respectively. Instead, many of us keep ourselves stimulated and active through devices and technology, which means our natural rhythm is affected.