Inconsistencies in sleep patterns should not be taken lightly. Some individuals often find themselves sleeping too much, sleeping too little, or constantly waking up in the middle of the night. Most people sweep sleeping disorders under the rug, while it could be a red alert for a serious underlying health condition.
A sleeping disorder could be a sign of heart failure, diabetes, or Parkinson’s disease. Sleep disturbances could also be a sign of underlying neurological conditions as well. When sleep deprivation, excessive sleep, or inconsistencies occur for a prolonged period without any apparent cause, such as stress or depression, it may be time to seek medical help.
Sleep Apnea
When one experiences very loud snoring, breathing difficulties, fatigue after sleeping, insomnia, and drowsiness throughout the day, these could be tell-tale signs of sleep apnea. Being male means that one is at a higher risk. Being overweight, excessive alcohol usage and underlying medical conditions such as diabetes and heart failure are the main conditions that exacerbate sleep apnea.
Recognizing these symptoms and seeking medical guidance is critical if both sleep apnea and underlying health conditions are addressed appropriately. A family history of sleep apnea may also be another factor in seeking medical help, especially when symptoms are already apparent. However, it is essential to remember that snoring may not necessarily be a sign of sleep apnea, especially when other symptoms do not accompany it.
A sleep apnea snoring dentist could offer solutions to people who experience symptoms and may not necessarily have underlying health conditions. A dentist could issue an oral device that supports one’s jaw, thus preventing the breathing tract from collapsing.
Insomnia
While infrequent insomnia may not be an issue to worry about, chronic insomnia that goes ahead to have a toll on your day-to-day activities should be addressed before it gets out of hand. Some individuals may experience specific symptoms, a clear-cut indicator of insomnia, and possible medical or psychological conditions.
People often experience daytime fatigue and clumsiness due to a lack of enough rest during the night. In addition to this, when suffering from the condition, one may experience a lot of difficulty going to sleep, waking up too early without the intent of doing so and difficulty falling asleep after suddenly waking up in the middle of the night. Insomnia could be short-term or long-term. Environmental factors such as temperature changes, an illness, or everyday life stressors such as losing a job are the key contributors to short-term insomnia. Depression, excessive physical pain, and chronic stress are the key factors that cause long-term, chronic insomnia.
Narcolepsy
Many people are not aware of this condition as it often goes undiagnosed. An individual with this condition may find nothing strange about their sleep patterns, but with time it becomes apparent. In most people, the condition begins in their mid-teens and early twenties, but this does not suggest it cannot onset and manifest in other age brackets. When one experiences an excessive need to sleep during the daytime, and in most cases, these intermittent bouts progressively become uncontrollable, then it is time to seek medical attention to prevent severe conditions.
Irritability and Lack of Energy
Quite many people find themselves bored, unmotivated, and with unexplained mood changes throughout the day. An individual is often left puzzled and wondering what the problem could be. One may find themselves clashing with colleagues, clients, or superiors, which may lead to negative consequences. In quite a good number of cases, lack of enough sleep is usually the cause. Therefore, it becomes necessary for such individuals to seek medical attention or purposefully decide to have healthy, regular sleep patterns in mild cases.
Mental Health
When one can no longer function, usually due to totalsleep deprivation while not having a physical condition to back up the dysfunction, then seeking the services of a therapist or psychiatrist is inevitable. Chronic stress, as a result of the loss of a loved one or a messy divorce, could drive an individual to the edge and to a point where they cannot sleep. Talk therapy and psychiatric prescriptions become the only few options available for such an individual to explore.
Diagnosis, medication and counselling are vital in addressing one’s sleep issues. However, a significant number of individuals can address this through having regular, consistent sleep patterns. Exercise, minimizing light and noise when sleeping, and managing temperatures to sleep better are also effective ways of addressing sleeping issues.