As previously discussed, disordered sleep can have a serious impact on your mood and overall health, affecting how well you cope with stress. Here are the most common sleep disorders, along with some information on what you should do about them:
A list of common sleep disorders
Insomnia
Insomnia is by far the most common sleep disorder, affecting around 30 million Americans. There are two types of insomniacs: Those who have trouble falling asleep and those who wake in the middle of the night and then can’t get back to sleep.
Sleep apnea
Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder that affects an estimated 25 million Americans. It’s also one of the most problematic. Sleep apnea occurs when, during sleep, a person temporarily stops breathing. Although the sufferer eventually starts breathing again, these episodes can last anywhere from a few seconds up to a minute, and they might occur dozens or even hundreds of times a night. This results in a lack of oxygen to the brain and body, and it also disrupts their sleep, both of which impact a person’s health.
Other sleep disorders
PLM
PLM stands for periodic leg movements. PLM prompts uncontrollable kicking and stirring during sleep. No one knows what causes the condition, though warm baths before bed sometimes help. If your partner tells you that you stir throughout the night or you wake up with the covers in dissarray, you may have PLM.
Delayed phase disorder
People with this disorder can’t seem to get to sleep until 2:00, 3:00 or 4:00 A.M. Once they fall asleep, however, they sleep well for the normal allotted time. This disorder is a result of their physiological sleep-cycle and body temp rhythm being out of whack, so that the mechanism which promotes sleep doesn’t kick in until well into the night.
Advanced phase disorder
This is exactly like what we just discussed above only in reverse. The rhythm is stretched in the other direction, so that a person gets sleepy early in the day.
Bruxism (tooth grinding)
Some people grind their teeth in their sleep, which can result in tooth damage, jaw pain in the morning or headaches the next day. The most common treatment is to wear a mouth guard. This condition also seems to be induced by stress.
Restless leg syndrome
This is a mysterious condition in which people feel a compulsive urge to move their legs at night. It can keep the sufferer awake at night by keeping them from falling asleep, and it can also affect their partner if it leads to tossing, turning, and kicking in their sleep.