What is Dyssomnia Disorder?

Dyssomnia is a very similar term to that of insomnia, which a lot of us are mostly familiar with, being a widely used term to describe the inability to fall asleep.

Insomnia is where one is not able to concentrate during the day because of the lack of sleep, and fails to feel energetic or wide awake during the daytime. It also means taking mini naps in the middle of the day, and feeling fatigued or worn out.

Dyssomnia, is about how sleep gets disrupted, how much of it one doesn't adequately get, and at what time he / she manages to get into bed at night.

It deals more with one's circadian cycle, which is our internal clock that depends on the perception of light to work out the body's functions in order to understand when it is time to wake up, and when it is time to slumber.

Certain chemicals are released as a result, where the body senses darkness approaching and slowly moves into a state of rest by the end of the day.

Sleeping disturbances can cause us to wake up midway in between a good night's rest, forcing one to find it difficult, in some cases, to fall back asleep. Sleeping disorders are a common problem among the youth especially, where the pressures of college life and work take a toll on one's sleeping patterns.

Nothing follows a systematic approach like a fixed time to go to bed, and getting 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Over time, it becomes hard to get a good night's rest, compromising on one's health as a result. There are two kinds of problems that can lead to dyssomnia, one being external sources and the other being internal.

The causes can fall under intrinsic (internal) or extrinsic (external) problems, which we will cover here in the following issues under each of these.

→ Jet lag
→ Shift timings of work
→ Anxiety and stress
→ Aging
→ Restless leg syndrome
→ Mixed apnea syndrome
→ Drinking alcohol / caffeine before nap time
→ Sleeping pattern

→ Overactive thyroid
→ Leg-related syndrome
→ Narcolepsy
→ Eating food / taking medication before going to bed
→ Idiopathic
→ Medication side effects
→ Sudden withdrawal from medication
→ Central apnea syndrome

→ Working / studying or doing chores in dim lighting
→ Alveolar hypoventilation
→ Psycho-physiologic insomnia
→ Alcohol withdrawal
→ Obstructive apnea syndrome
→ Coping with grief
→ Intellectual (or even physical) practices during sleep time
→ Some form of depression
→ Oversleeping during the daytime
→ Recurrent hypersomnia
→ Mixed apnea syndrome

The symptoms of this condition fall between what one would experience from insomnia, as well as the classic signs of this condition combined.

→ Symptoms of insomnia ensue
→ Waking up very early in the morning automatically
→ Not able to fall asleep immediately

→ Not easy staying awake during the day
→ Wide awake when night falls
→ Concentration is limited
→ Abnormal amount of sleep
→ Quality of sleep is absent

The treatment for this condition includes therapy in some cases depending on the diagnosis of one's situation. A patient is given help through psychiatric or psychological means, where sleeping patterns are made right by encouraging people to avoid alcohol / excess nicotine / caffeine before bedtime.

Also, a sleeping schedule is planned to ensure a good night's rest. Drug treatment is introduced if a patient should need it, with relaxation therapy as part of the process and even counseling.

People who have trouble sleeping at night can go to a doctor and find out if any medication could help them sleep better, like sleeping pills or relaxants. Sometimes one's mattress may not be comfortable enough to induce sleep, or pillows may seem abnormally large and fail to accommodate one's head in the right manner.

It is important to make sure that the body is at ease when sleeping in a bed, since it requires the perfect setting for a good night's rest. Soft instrumental music can help or music players that are specially made for people who cannot get enough rest at night (it can range from the sounds of nature to even waves on the beach).

Dyssomnia is a treatable problem, where it can be helped by first finding the root cause of the condition, and then dealing with it accordingly. Patients should help themselves in cases where it is manageable, by practicing healthy sleeping patterns, and making sure they avoid anything that would cause a change in their sleep timings.