The Most Common Sleeping Disorders to be Aware of

Conditions that cause issues related to sleep are referred to as sleeping disorders. There are a variety of medical conditions that could disrupt your sleeping patterns. These conditions can cause excessive daytime sleepiness and irritability, and even affect your overall well-being.

These conditions are usually caused by either psychological or physiological factors and require medication such as sleeping pills to curb the symptoms. Some common sleeping disorders are as follows:

Sleep Apnea and Snoring

Snoring may not seem dangerous to your health, but what it may represent is a cause of concern. Snoring may be a direct result of difficulty keeping your throat open naturally during sleep. Sleep apnea is a more serious condition, a chronic issue in which the affected individual repeatedly stops breathing while sleeping. Sleep apnea episodes can last up to 10 seconds, maybe more, and it has the potential to worsen other conditions like diabetes, heart failure and hypertension.

Insomnia

Insomnia is a condition known by many; it’s the inability to sleep for the appropriate amount of time to feel sufficiently rested. It is perhaps the most common type of sleeping disorder, with a variety of potential causes. Another variation of this condition is known as acute insomnia and is quite rare due to the fact it’s mainly hereditary and can even be fatal.

Sleep Paralysis

Sleep paralysis is characterized by the temporary inability to move while waking up from sleep. It’s a terrifying condition as you may be completely awake but your body is unable to move. While it is a common condition, it can also be a symptom of narcolepsy.

Restless Leg Syndrome

This sleep disorder is characterized by feelings of unpleasantness in your legs while trying to move them. This neurological movement disorder can cause sensations like tingling, burning, aches or feeling as if bugs are crawling on your legs. These symptoms arise when resting or at night, which makes it difficult to fall and stay asleep. This condition is caused by a number of factors including pregnancy, obesity, and even iron deficiency.

Jet Lag

At some point in our lives we all have experienced jet lag. It’s a temporary affect caused by traveling across time zones and can cause insomnia, nausea, and fatigue due to the misalignment of your internal circadian rhythm.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD is type of mood disorder closely associated with excessive sleepiness and depression in the winter months. It is a direct result of a lack of bright natural lighting. As a lack of light causes this disorder, the treatment for the condition is an artificial light box.