Sleep Disorders

There are many different types of sleep disorders that may affect our ability to get a good night's sleep. Here are some common sleep disorders, and some tips on how to remedy them.

Insomnia

One of the most common sleep disorders that people suffer from is insomnia, or the inability to fall or stay asleep. Insomnia can be anything from only being able to sleep just a few hours a night to not being able to sleep for days. It can be triggered by stress or depression, and can lead to problems with mental clarity, focusing, memory, coordination and irritability.

While there are many prescription sleep aids available, it may be best to try something that is less addictive that will actually aid the body into falling asleep naturally, as opposed to forcing it too. Valerian root, for example, is a natural herbal remedy that helps people fall asleep naturally without the undesirable side effects of being too groggy the next morning.

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is when a person's breathing is interrupted while sleeping. This is a serious sleep disorder, with symptoms such as waking up with a sore throat or gasping for breath, recurrent waking in the middle of the night or insomnia, morning headaches, and forgetfulness. It can lead to hypertension, stroke or even heart attacks.

Sleep apnea is more prevalent in men, and risk factors include being overweight, over the age of 40, and having a family history of sleep apnea. Lifestyle changes to help treat this disorder include losing weight, avoiding sleep aids and alcohol, avoid sleeping on the back, change sleeping positions often, and stop smoking.

Sleep Paralysis

Sleep paralysis is not mentioned too often due to the fact that it does not have many serious side effects, but it can be enough to keep you awake at night and not wanting to fall back asleep. It is a sensation that can happen when you are either falling asleep or starting to wake up. When your body is in REM mode, it is somewhat "paralyzed" in order to prevent you from physically acting out your dreams and injuring yourself. What happens in sleep paralysis is the mind begins to wake up before the body, and mildly hallucinates that there is someone or something in the room with you. Because the body is still in its paralyzed state, you feel like you are unable to scream or get away from this intruder, and it is hard to wake yourself up.

Sleep paralysis can be reduced by avoiding scary shows or movies before bedtime, and by avoiding sleeping on the back. In the event that you find yourself in the middle of a sleep paralysis episode, it is helpful to try to focus on moving one body part, whether it is a hand or a foot, rather than just trying to scream or jump up. Lucid dreaming techniques, where you learn to control your dreams, are also said to be helpful.