Sleep disturbances - Revive Hormones

Sleep Disturbances: Understanding and Addressing Common Sleep Problems

Sleep disturbances refer to issues with the quality, timing, or duration of sleep, which can negatively impact daytime functioning. Some common types of sleep disorders include:

• Insomnia: Difficulty falling or staying asleep. Symptoms involve difficulty falling asleep, waking up frequently during the night, early morning awakenings, or non-restorative sleep.
• Sleep apnea: Brief pauses in breathing during sleep, caused by airway blockage. This can lead to loud snoring, restless sleep, and daytime fatigue.
• Narcolepsy: Excessive daytime sleepiness and falling asleep unexpectedly during the day. People may experience loss of muscle control along with these sleep attacks.
• Restless leg syndrome: Unpleasant sensations in the legs along with an irresistible urge to move them. Symptoms mainly occur in the evenings while resting.
• Circadian rhythm disorders: Problems with the timing of sleep. This includes advanced sleep phase disorder (extreme early bedtimes/wakening) or delayed sleep phase disorder (extreme late bedtimes/wakening).

Sleep disturbances can negatively impact physical health, mental health, productivity, and quality of life. Contributing factors may include high stress levels, underlying medical issues, medications, substance use, or poor sleep hygiene habits.

When sleep issues persist for over 3 months and cause problems functioning, it is important to consult a doctor or sleep specialist. They can help pinpoint causes through exams, sleep testing in a specialized sleep lab, and sleep logs/questionnaires.

Treatment options may include improved sleep hygiene, cognitive-behavioral therapy, relaxation techniques, sleep aids, addressing underlying issues, or equipment for conditions like sleep apnea. Maintaining a regular sleep-wake cycle aligned with the body's internal clock is also key.

Getting quality sleep each night is vital for health and well-being. Being proactive about addressing any emerging patterns of insufficient sleep, difficulty sleeping, or excessive daytime fatigue can help resolve these sleep problems before they spiral out of control. Paying attention to sleep quality is essential for functioning at your best during the day.

If you're experiencing sleep disturbances, consider consulting the experts at Revive Hormones for personalized evaluation and treatment recommendations.