Are you someone who has been facing sleep issues lately? If yes, you must be wondering what the most common reasons could be, such as, excessive work-life stress, hectic office schedule, or other influences. These things do not seem like a big deal to you, right? Don’t let sleep disorders impact your sleep ability. However, when these sleep issues start setting a negative influence on your daily life, they imply a sleep disorder.
You know you’re not getting sound sleep, but you’re unaware of the reasons causing it. Once you visit a doctor, he’ll ask you questions like:
- What sort of medical conditions do you have?
- What medicines do you take in a day?
- How much stress do you take these days?
- Do you drink alcohol? If yes, how much?
- How much caffeine do you consume in a day?
If a solution is not found from these questions the Dr. might suggest you visit a sleep lab for further tests.
Treatments for Sleep Disorders
The treatments of various sleep disorders will depend on the kind of problem you’re facing.
INSOMNIA
For treating insomnia, you have to tweak your sleep habits, like:
- Go to sleep at the same time every night and try to get up at the same time every morning.
- Stop engaging in stressful household chores.
- Stop taking short naps during the day.
- Relax before going to sleep, try gentle stretching, and deep breathing before sleep.
- Keep your bedroom quiet, dark, and cool.
- Quit smoking.
- Quit drinking alcohol before sleeping.
SLEEP APNEA
In sleep apnea, you stop breathing while sleeping, for a brief period of time. Sleep disorder specialists suggest losing weight and avoiding alcohol to cure this issue. Nevertheless, you should still ask your doctor whether you require a CPAP machine. CPAP is the abbreviation for continuous positive airway pressure and it is a machine where you wear a mask while sleeping. This boosts the air pressure within your throat and keeps the airways open so that you can sleep better.
SLEEP ISSUES RELATED TO TMJ
TMJ disorder happens when the temporo-mandibular joint starts functioning improperly. This joint connects the lower jaw to the upper jaw and it is one of the most complicated joints in our body. TMJ disorders are also linked to sleep apnea but that doesn’t prove causation.
Though there are no shreds of evidence that prove the link between the two, misalignment of the jaw and related concerns with TMJ disorder can make the airways more likely to suffer a collapse. During instances of restricted or blocked airways, snoring can occur, leading to temporary choking. But there are sleeping problem treatments related to TMJ.
SNORING
If you snore loudly, try these out:
- Don’t smoke or drink alcohol before going to bed.
- Sleep on one side.
- Stay away from taking sedatives and sleeping pills.
- Work on losing weight if you’re overweight.
- Receive medical treatments if you have nasal blockages or allergy problems.
NARCOLEPSY
People who suffer from narcolepsy usually fall asleep even when they’re not willing to. You can take pre-scheduled naps like taking a quick nap before some vital event that demands you to stay awake. If your doctor prescribes medicines to keep you awake and cure sudden loss of muscle control, you should start taking them on time.
Alterations in sleep patterns are a normal part of aging and are not always associated with sleep disorders. It is important to maintain proper sleep hygiene, exercise also helps you get a sound sleep at any age. If you’re an elderly person who does not sleep well at night, you should try afternoon naps. You can also try taking in Vitamin D by staying in the sunlight for certain time periods during the day.
