What Are Common Sleep Disorders?

Saturday, September 17, 2011, 10:07

You don't have a common sleep disorder if you have had a few sleepless night. But if you have been sleeping badly for quite some time like a few weeks or months then it could be resulting from a sleeping disorder. You would be surprised to know that people live with sleep problems for many years and don't even realise that it is a chronic biological problem!

The most tragic part about sleeping disorders is that they affect every aspect of your life. Your day is ruined by tiredness and lethargy, work suffers and your social life goes for a toss. There can be many types of sleep disorders with complex medical names or just stress causing fretful sleep. We will leave the complex disorders for the doctors to deal with and address the common sleeping disorders here.

Common Sleep Disorders:

1. Jet Lag: The most obvious reason for not being able to sleep. When we travel from one part of the world to another with a huge difference in time zones then we feel this phenomenon called 'jet lag'. Suppose you take a flight to the US from India in the morning and when you land there it is morning again! So you sleep during the day and your body clock changes. You will feel sleepy during the day remain awake at night. Once your get adjusted then it will go away on its own.

2. Insomnia: This is a stress related health problem. Most people turn to that bottle of sleeping pills or tranquilizers because they are stressed out and cannot relax even in sleep. Like all anxiety disorders this one too is better cured by natural means instead of popping pills. You have to understand that the problem is in your mind and not your body. Yoga, meditation and cardio workouts will help you relax and sleep. This common sleeping disorder can also be caused by excessive caffeine consumption and you have to cut down on your coffee for that.

3. Sleep Apnea: This sleeping disorder is caused due to a blocked nose. Whenever the person lies flat on his or her back and goes off the sleep their breathing becomes troubled and even stops for some time. This may or may not wake the sleeper but it definitely results in restless fitful sleep. As a result, you wake up untested and tired. People suffering from this disorder often have dark circles under their eyes and nagging headaches.

4. Delayed Sleeping Phase: In this type of sleeping disorder the person's body clock is delayed. They struggle to sleep till the wee hours of the morning and then fall asleep during the day. It is common among teenagers who stay up late to watch television or studying. Most people grow out of it after adolescence but if they can't then a visit to the doctor is advisable.