Symptoms of Sleeping Disorders

At the end of a tiring day, what we all need is a good night's sleep. Sleep is a natural state of the body where there is suspended sensory and motor activity characterized by partial unconsciousness. Lack of sleep can lead to various problems, like fatigue and tiredness the next day, inability to concentrate and various other systemic problems.

Thus, one needs to identify the symptoms at the earliest so as to diagnose and treat this condition accordingly. Here are the various symptoms of sleeping disorders and their types.

By far, one of the most common sleeping disorders is insomnia, or sleep deprivation. This condition can occur due to various reasons. Some of the common causes of insomnia are improper sleeping position, stress, change in time zones, altered sleep schedule, etc.

Some of the common symptoms include heavy eyelids, watery eyes, excessive yawning, adverse affects on the memory and the ability to concentrate, etc. Nightmares could be an underlying cause of such symptoms in children.

It's not very easy to treat such a sleep disorder, and insomnia especially may have many contributing factors behind it. Thus, in such cases, it is best to visit a doctor and get the cause behind the insomnia diagnosed.

A condition that causes lack of sleep due to breathing problems. Sometimes, the person may even get breathless to such an extent that he may even wake up from his sleep.

In sleep apnea the breathing becomes very shallow while the person is sleeping. The person experiences lack of oxygen, which then causes the person to awaken from his sleep. There are also frequent gaps in breathing, gasping or choking, snoring, etc.

Sleep apnea is often obstructive in nature, as is seen in obese people. In such cases, it is best to lose weight or sleep in a position that will ensure continuous flow of air (elevation of head, use of hard pillows, not sleeping face down), etc., as these will help to considerably ease the symptoms.

One of the most common and the most annoying sleep disorders is snoring. Not so much for the person who snores but for the person trying to sleep next to him or her. Snoring can be caused due to narrowing of the airway, excess weight, poor sleep posture, or due to the presence of physical deviations in the nose and throat region.

Due to narrowing of the airway passage, the person cannot breathe normally and hence, ends up snoring. There are many simple ways to stop snoring, like getting yourself checked by an ENT surgeon for a possible airway blockage, sleep in a posture that allows you to breathe freely, try and maintain your weight within a healthy range.

Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder where the person experiences extreme sleepiness and may even fall asleep due to a certain trigger factor. It is said that people suffering from narcolepsy lack hypocretin, a chemical in the brain which helps to regulate sleep and wakefulness.

Some of the symptoms seen here include intermittent episodes of falling asleep, excessive daytime sleep, etc. The treatment for this condition requires a combination of various approaches, including the use of medications, behavioral therapy and counseling.

Other conditions include jet lag, working in shifts, etc. These were some of the common signs caused due to common conditions that adversely affect the sleep of a person. If a person is constantly having disturbed sleep, then it is best to visit a doctor and get the cause diagnosed, as it could be a vital indicator of an underlying respiratory disease.

Disclaimer: The information provided here is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.