Most of us at some point in our liveshave had some kind of sleep problems. But if such problems become almost routine and begin to interfere with your daily life, then you can safely say that you suffer from a sleep disorder. Sleep disorders entail more than just drowsiness. Poor sleep quality can have a negative impact on your energy, mental balance, and overall health. If you have problems with sleep, then you will find this article useful, in which we will tell you what the most common sleep disorders are, what you can do to help yourself, and when it is worth contacting a doctor.

The Importance of a Healthy Sleep

Sleep can serve as a barometer of overall healthhealth. In many cases, people who are in good health usually sleep well, while recurring sleep problems may indicate some medical or psychological health problems, ranging from minor to serious. Good sleep, as we have already said, is very important for your physical health and emotional well-being. Even minimal loss of sleep can affect your mood, performance, and stress resistance. Ignoring the problem of poor sleep can lead to serious deterioration in health, impaired productivity, stress, and even accidents. If you want to stay healthy and reach your full potential, you must clearly understand that good sleep is a necessity, not a luxury. It is absolutely not normal to feel sleepy during the day, have trouble falling asleep in the evening, sleep poorly at night, and wake up completely exhausted in the morning. But even if you have had sleep problems for so long that you have almost become accustomed to them, you can still learn to sleep better. It is worth starting to track the symptoms of sleep disorders, and whether they are related to the fact that you may allow a sleep disorder. At this stage, it will be very useful to use our tips. If your attempts to help yourself are not successful, you can seek help from specialists. Together, you can determine the main causes of your problems and find ways to improve not only your sleep, but also the quality of your life.

Signs and symptoms of sleep disorders

Occasional sleep problems may be experiencedeach. So how do you know if your sleep disturbances are simply your body’s response to external stimuli, or if they are signs of a more serious disorder or symptoms of an underlying disease? Start by carefully examining your symptoms, paying particular attention to telltale signs of intense daytime sleepiness. If you experience at least one of the following symptoms on a regular basis, it is likely that you have a sleep disorder. So, you:

• Is there a feeling of drowsiness or irritability during the day?
• it's hard not to fall asleep if you sit still, watch TV or read?
• is it difficult to drive a car because you are literally falling asleep or feeling too tired?
• it is difficult to concentrate attention?
• Do you often hear from others that you look too tired?
• it seems that recently you have clearly slowed down the reaction?
• it became difficult to manage your emotions?
• Do you have to drink caffeinated drinks to force yourself to work on?

If you answered “yes” to at least one question, then you most likely have a serious sleep disorder.

Insomnia: the most common type of sleep disorder

Insomnia, or the inability to get what you needThe amount of sleep you need to wake up feeling rested and refreshed is the most common complaint. Insomnia is often a symptom of other problems, such as stress, anxiety, depression, or an illness. It can also be caused by lifestyle factors, including lack of exercise, jet lag, medications, and even drinking too much coffee. Common signs of insomnia include:

• Difficulty with falling asleep in the evening or not being able to fall asleep by waking up at night;
• Frequent awakening during the night, intermittent sleep;
• To make yourself fall asleep, you must take some measures (drink a sleeping pill, turn off the light, create an ideal silence and the like);
• Drowsiness and low working capacity during the day.

Whatever the reason for your insomnia,that you want to overcome, first of all, learn to relax. Together with the fight against bad habits, this will help you sleep better and, as a result, feel much better. The good news for you should be that in most cases, insomnia can be cured by changing your lifestyle, and not by relying only on taking sleeping pills.

Other types of sleep disorders

Besides insomnia, there are other typesSleep disorders. These are apnea, restless legs syndrome, and narcolepsy. What are these problems? Apnea This is one of the most common disorders. It is characterized by a temporary cessation of breathing due to the blockage of the upper airway. Such pauses in breathing interrupt sleep, which leads to frequent awakenings. Although most people with apnea do not remember these awakenings, they feel their consequences during the day: they are exhausted, irritable, often suffer from depression, and their work productivity is significantly reduced. What are the signs of apnea?

• Chronic loud snoring.
• Frequent pauses in breathing during sleep.
• Feeling of suffocation during sleep.
• Brokenness after awakening and drowsiness during the day, no matter how much time you spent in bed.
• At night, sleep is interrupted, and awakening occurs with a feeling of shortness of breath, chest pain, headache, nasal congestion or dryness in the throat.

Apnea is a serious and potentially dangerous conditionlife sleep disorder. If you suspect that you or a loved one suffers from apnea, then consult a doctor without delay. This disorder can be successfully treated, and the doctor will suggest treatment methods. You can help yourself by sleeping on your side, changing your pillow to a higher one, and also trying to lose excess weight. Restless Leg Syndrome Such sleep disorders are characterized by the fact that you experience an almost irresistible desire to move your legs (less often - your arms). Sleep does not come because you cannot find a place for your legs. No matter how you place them, you are still uncomfortable; often this condition is accompanied by tingling, muscle pain, a feeling of unbearable heaviness in the limbs. Common symptoms of heavy legs syndrome include:

• Unpleasant sensations are somewhere deep in the muscles, accompanied by a strong desire to move their legs.
• These feelings temporarily fade away when you move, rub or massage your legs.
• The sleep that has finally come is accompanied or may be interrupted by repeated seizures or twitching of the legs.

Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder thatis characterized by excessive, uncontrollable daytime sleepiness. Such sleep disorders are caused by dysfunction of the brain, when the mechanism that controls sleep and wakefulness of our body is disrupted. People suffering from this disease may experience sleep "attacks" right in the middle of a conversation, during work or even while driving. Here are the common signs of narcolepsy:

• A sudden strong sense of weakness or loss of control over the muscles, especially during strong emotions.
• The feeling of paralysis, the inability to move for a while after awakening.
• Fast, uncontrollable falling asleep during the day. After a short sleep, a feeling of cheerfulness appears.
• Bright hallucinations in the state transition from sleep to wakefulness and vice versa (in those moments when a person realizes that he still (or already) does not sleep).

How can you help yourself overcome sleep disorders?

Although some disorders may requiremedical help, in most cases you can help yourself. The first step to overcoming a sleep problem is to identify and carefully monitor your sleep symptoms. The second important step is to change your daytime habits and improve your sleep hygiene. Regardless of what your sleep problem is, having a well-established bedtime routine and developing good habits will lead to lasting improvements in the quality of your sleep. You can manage many symptoms simply by changing your lifestyle. For example, you may find that if you exercise and manage your emotions more effectively, your sleep will be much more sound and refreshing. Here are some tips for improving your sleep:

• Observe the sleep and wakefulness. Lie down and get up at the same time every day, including the weekend.
• Allocate enough time for sleep. Most people need to sleep 7-8 hours to feel able to work.
• Make sure your bedroom is dark, quiet and cool.
• Turn off the TV, computer, mobile phoneat least one hour before going to bed. The type of light that monitors and screens of these instruments emit can stimulate your brain, suppressing the production of melatonin and interfering with the internal hours of your body.

Recipes for healthy sleep

• Pillow with herbs: she served a good service even in the days of our grandmothers, and today she is able to help. She is put under the usual pillow or on the chest; under the influence of the heat of the bed and the body, volatile substances are released that you inhale and calmly fall asleep. Sew for this linen square bag (with a side about 15 cm) with a zipper and loosely beat it with one of the following mixtures of dried herbs (the action is preserved for 4 weeks):

One part of the leaves of lemon balm (lemon mint), the root of valerian and St. John's wort, and two parts of lavender flowers.

Equal parts of the root of valerian, hops and St. John's wort.

Equal parts of flowers of lavender and hop cones.

• Sleepy Elixir: 10 grams of lavender flowers, hop cones, Valerian root, Melissa leaves and St. John's wort, mash in a mortar, pour one liter of red wine. Leave to stand for 10 days, stirring daily. After 5 days, add two pieces of cinnamon and 5 mashed pieces of cloves. Strain and pour into the bottle. Drink a small glass (40 ml) for 30 minutes before going to bed.

Can sleeping pills help you avoid sleeping problems?

When taken for a short period of timeand only when prescribed and under the supervision of a doctor, sleeping pills can have a positive effect. However, this can only be a temporary solution; it is impossible to cure insomnia with sleeping pills. In the long term, medications can only make insomnia worse. It is acceptable to use sleeping pills (in moderation and for a short time!) in situations such as traveling with a change in time zones. If there is a need to use such drugs for a long time, it is better to use them "as needed" rather than on a daily basis, to avoid dependence on the drug. Instructions for the safe use of sleeping pills In order to make the consequences of taking sleeping pills as pleasant as possible, follow these rules:

• Take sleeping pills only when you have enough time for proper sleep - at least 7-8 hours. Otherwise, you will experience excessive drowsiness the whole next day.
• Carefully read the insert that is locatedpackaged. Pay special attention to possible side effects, the recommended dosage and a list of products and other medications that can not be combined with this drug.
• Never mix alcohol and sleeping pills! Alcohol breaks sleep, and the interaction of alcohol with sleeping pills can be life threatening.
• Never drive after taking a sleeping pill, especially if you drank it for the first time. You do not know how and when your body will react to this drug.

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