12 Warning Signs Of A Sleep Disorder

Overview

Sleep disorders have become very common these days & can interrupt your sleep. These affect during bedtime or any time of the day. Such health conditions may occur due to an existing disease or disorder.

Many of you may suffer from sleeping problems. People do not seek medical help in time, which further worsens the issue. This is because many are unaware of the warning signs and symptoms of sleeping disorders.

Thus, in the below-post, we discuss the symptoms of sleep disorders. If you experience any of these, then it is best to arrange an appointment with a doctor and look for a solution.

Sleeping Disorders Warning Signs

1. Daytime Fatigue

Consistent tiredness during the daytime may signify a sleep problem. This is associated with falling asleep in between for a few minutes, despite getting hours of sleep at night.

The unusual tiredness will make you feel dull, mentally fatigued, and drained of confidence. This may indicate the sleeping disorder, Narcolepsy. This means that you will encounter a sudden feeling of tiredness. It causes you to fall asleep without warning. If this problem persists for a few weeks, then do visit a doctor for a diagnosis.

2. Lack of Concentration

Sleepiness may draw away your concentration from simple tasks. For instance, if a friend is speaking with you, it will be difficult to focus on his/her words.

The tiredness and the sleepy feeling together can interfere with your focus and alertness at tasks. This may follow by a feeling of distress. You will be unable to understand the things happening around you.

Body pain and tingling could be common, which further may disrupt your attention.

3. Staying Awake for Hours before Falling Asleep

You may go to bed as usual, but it may be hours before you actually fall asleep. This may result because of an existing health condition, disrupting sleep. Or it may occur due to pondering over something, which does not let you sleep. Or perhaps, the problem could be more serious and point towards a sleeping disorder such as insomnia.

Try to consciously allow yourself to slip into a slumber. If you do not see a difference even then, visit a health practitioner.

4. Difficult Staying or Falling Asleep

When you try to sleep, you may find it difficult to fall asleep. On the contrary, at the time of staying awake, it may be difficult to keep awake. This could be due to an irregular sleeping pattern. So you may want to set a sleeping pattern that matches your schedule. Otherwise, it is possible to feel disturbed during sleeping or staying awake. If the issue persists for a long time, then it is best to seek professional help.

5. Crawling or Tingling Feeling in Legs at Bedtime

You may feel a tingling sensation on your leg during the day. This sensation grows around sleep time, especially at the night. You may also feel the urge to move your legs. This could be a symptom of a sleep disorder, restless leg syndrome. This condition is often because of Parkinson’s disease, ADHD, etc. Sometimes the exact cause is hard to point out.

6. Anxiety or Irritability

Fatigue, inability to sleep at the required time, feeling sleepy the whole time, may contribute to anxiety. This in turn can make you feel irritated throughout the day. You may find yourself losing your temper often at petty things.

Anxiety and irritability are both the cause and symptom of sleep disorders. Other associated symptoms with regular irritation are, being rude to fellow people, inconsiderate, giving-up attitude. Speech problems may occur.

In a way, your speech could be disrupted by constant yawning and slipping away into a nap.

7. Loud Breathing or Snoring During Sleep

If you breathe or snore too loudly during sleep, then it may point to a sleep disorder known as sleep apnea. Here, you may even pause breathing altogether during sleep. While it may not seem too serious at the start, do not avoid it, but visit a healthcare center.

Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition. It is because of the lack of oxygen supply making you wake up in between the night. Your breathing may be interrupted and you may be unable to breathe smoothly in sleep apnea.

8. Depression or its Symptoms

As we discussed, anxiety and irritability are the two symptoms of sleep disorders. Apart from these, other signs of depression may give an insight into any sleep problem.

People who suffer from depression may often find difficulty falling asleep as per their sleep pattern. Due to depressive thoughts, addiction to harmful behavior, the regular sleeping scheduled may get impacted.

You can visit a counselor or psychiatrist for apt treatment and taking care of the symptoms of depression as well as the related sleeping problem.

9. Strong Urge to Nap during the Day

You may not be able to complete your sleep in the night (or your regular sleep time). In such a scenario, you may feel a strong urge to take a nap during the day.

This may seem normal. However, it is problematic if this reoccurs over and again. If you are unable to sleep during your regular sleeping hours, this is a sign of a sleep disorder.

This is why; sleepiness may affect you during other times, especially in the daytime. Even napping for 30 minutes or so may not help in taking away the sleepiness.

10. Waking Up Several Times in the Night

Once you are asleep, your sleep may be disturbed between the night. This is because of the urge to wake up several times in the night. This is possible because you are a light sleeper. You may feel disturbed by the slightest of noise or movement. Or you may feel disturbed due to dreams or over-thinking too much.

One of the ways to counter such disturbances is to meditate for 15 to 30 minutes before going to the bed. People with Nocturia or frequent urination also have to wake up during the night. This leads to disturbances during bedtime.

11. Falling Asleep at Inappropriate Times

Due to the inability to get complete sleep hours, you may fall asleep at inappropriate times. For instance, falling asleep reading a book, or during watching television, etc. You may doze off at odd hours, especially the time you could be awake rather.

If this happens regularly, this is a warning sign of a sleeping disorder.

You may seek treatments, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy. This may identify the behaviors causing sleep disruption and sleeping at odd times. You will be suggested solutions for the same.

12. Dependence on Stimulants to Keep Awake During the Day

To keep away from sleeping at odd times, you may depend on stimulants. This could be the overuse of tobacco, caffeine, and other stimulants. If you have to constantly depend on stimulants to keep awake, then it is definitely a warning sign of a sleeping disorder. You must try to seek a solution for both the dependence on stimulants and the sleeping disorder.

Conclusion

Treatments for sleep disorders are available. These vary depending on the cause and type of the disorder. If you encounter any of the above-mentioned warning signs of sleep disorders, then you must consult a doctor. The healthcare practitioner may suggest a combination of lifestyle changes and medical treatments. Some of the medical treatments for sleep disturbances could be:

• Melatonin supplements
• Sleeping pills
• Breathing device for those with sleep apnea
• Allergy or cold medication
• A dental guard to protect against teeth grinding,
• Medications for the underlying health issue causing sleep problems.