Sleep Disorders

A sleep disorder as any difficulties related to sleeping, including:

• difficulty falling or staying asleep,
• falling asleep at inappropriate times,
• excessive total sleep time, or
• abnormal behaviors associated with sleep.

The value of a good night’s sleep can hardly be overestimated. Quality sleep enables your body and mind to perform optimally each day. Sleep helps to restore and rejuvenate your memory processes, energize your nervous and immune systems, and stimulate overall growth and development. Without enough sleep you will likely:

• experience increased difficulty concentrating, learning, and remembering things
• become less able to perform simple tasks and complex tasks may become seemingly impossible
• become anxious, moody, and impatient, and notice increased difficulties during interaction and cooperation with others.

Sleep problems

Sleep problems may already be interfering with your daily life. If so it is time to find out what is keeping you from getting the sleep you need, whether it be poor sleep hygiene, insomnia or a more serious sleep disorder. To help you on your way to getting a good night’s sleep, there are many things you can do to reduce your risk of developing a sleep disorder. By making small changes, you can greatly improve the quality of your sleep and thereby the overall quality of your mental and physical well-being. If you find that you currently practice or experience one or more of the following risk factors, you may want to consider making changes to your lifestyle or consulting with your doctor to learn how you can improve your health:

• poor sleep environment (ie., noisy or brightly lit)
• excessive caffeine or alcohol intake
• use of certain medications and drugs
• smoking or chewing tobacco
• anxiety, depression, or other mood disorder
• stressful situation such as death of a loved one or job pressure
• counter-productive sleep routine
• daytime napping
• early or late-night bed times
• traveling between time zones
• shift workers with rotating schedules
• physical illness
• obesity

Tips for a better sleep environment

• Make sure your bed is large enough and comfortable. If you are disturbed by a restless bedmate, switch to a queen- or king-size bed. Test different types of mattresses. Try therapeutic shaped foam pillows that cradle your neck or extra pillows that help you sleep on your side. Get comfortable cotton sheets.
• Make your bedroom primarily a place for sleeping. It is not a good idea to use your bed for paying bills, doing work, etc. Help your body recognize that this is a place for rest or intimacy.
• Keep your bedroom peaceful and comfortable. Make sure your room is well ventilated and the temperature consistent. And try to keep it quiet.
• Hide your clock. A big, illuminated digital clock may cause you to focus on the time and make you feel stressed and anxious. Place your clock so you can't see the time when you are in bed.

By Maria John