Every living creature has its own sleep/wake cycle, also known as circadian rhythm. Humans have their internal biological clock that is responsible for keeping us awake during the day and asleep during the night. For nocturnal animals it is opposite. Although we sleep to get rest and accumulate energy for the following day, our brains are always active. There are 5 stages of sleep that we are going through while sleeping. Some stages induce a very deep sleep and some stages induce only a very short sleep, but regardless of that each stage is of equal importance. If one stage performs improperly, it is likely to affect the whole night’s sleep in a negative way. Disruption of one stage of sleep will disrupt an entire sleeping cycle in brain and therefore have a bad influence on our overall health and quality of life. When a person has this disruption repeatedly, this can lead to sleep disorders. Below there are top 3 sleep disorders and the ways to treat them so you can return to normal life.
Insomnia
The most common sleep disorder is insomnia. It occurs at the first sleep cycle when it is hard to fall asleep. It is typically followed by fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability and a depressed mood. Chronic insomnia is usually caused by other conditions, including psychiatric and medical diseases. So to effectively treat insomnia you will need to identify the underlying problem first. This can be anxiety, depression, unhealthy lifestyle or physical pain. Whatever the actual cause behind the problem is, to overcome insomnia you will need to relax yourself very well and calm down your brain so it is easier to fall asleep.
Narcolepsy
Another type of sleep disorder is narcolepsy. When a person has narcolepsy attacks he can suddenly and shortly fall asleep for several seconds or minutes at any time of day. This neurological sleep disorder is a long-term condition and potentially can be dangerous to a patient. Other symptoms include loss of muscle strength. Some lifestyle changes and organizing naps may help with this disorder. Severe forms of this condition are usually controlled with prescription medications.
Sleep Apnea
One of the most dangerous sleep disorders that can be a threat to a person’s life is sleep apnea. A person with sleep apnea has pauses in breathing that can last from a few seconds to a few minutes and that can occur many times during sleep. When the brain reacts and breathing resumes, a person wakes up gasping and choking for air. If there is a frequent disruption of sleeping cycles this can be dangerous. It also disturbs normal sleep and then a person feels tired and experience drowsiness at a daytime. In severe forms of sleep apnea, treatment includes the use of breathing device during sleep.
To treat most common sleep disorders, an individual will usually need a prescription medication, for example you cat try to get Ambien, and make some lifestyle changes. It is very important to sleep well to have a good quality life, so all sleep disorders should be treated. Untreated sleep disorders can lead to serious mental and physical problems that will definitely impair your life. If you have a disrupted sleep or can’t fall asleep for a long time, you may want to consider something as simple as Ambien to balance your sleeping cycle and return to a normal life.