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Sleep Order is defined as a disorder where the person has any difficulty sleeping. These could be any kind of trouble, difficulty falling or staying asleep, falling asleep at wrong time, excessive sleep time and abnormal behaviors associated with sleep. These disorders are primarily caused by the changing lifestyles.
If you suffer from any of these disorders you may have any of the four kinds of disorders as specified by the International Classification of Sleep Disorders. These are:
Dyssomnias,
Parasomnias,
Medical/psychiatric disorders, and
Proposed sleep disorders.
Classification of disorders:
Dyssomnias are disturbances occurring when your sleep suffers in terms of the amount, timing, or quality resulting either in excessive daytime sleepiness or insomnia.
Parasomnias are disorders of partial arousal or disorders that interfere with sleep stage transitions. Abnormal events occur during your sleep.
Sleep disorders associated with medical disorders include alcoholism, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, sleep-related gastroesophageal reflux, peptic ulcer, and fibrositis syndrome.
Sleep disorders associated with neurological disorders include degenerative brain disorders, dementia, sleep-related epilepsy, and sleep-related headaches.
Sleep disorders associated with psychiatric disorders. Psychoses, anxiety, depression, and panic disorders can result in excessive sleepiness, insomnia, or other disruptions in the sleep cycle.
Types of Sleep Disorder:
We can classify the disorder according to their causes,
Disorders resulting in lack of Sleep,
Disorders resulting in disturbed Sleep,
Disorders resulting in more Sleep
Tests used for detection of various Sleep Disorders: Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT), overnight oximetry, a polysomnogram test may be performed.
Causes of Sleep Disorders:
Sleep disorders are very common and they can result from a number of causes.
Lifestyle: Stress, illness, diet (e.g., caffeine, alcohol), and medications (e.g., antidepressants) all can cause sleep difficulties.
Genetics: Narcolepsy is the only major sleep disorder with a known genetic basis (i.e., hereditary condition).
Night Shift Work: The body has an internal clock in the brain that controls normal physical and mental function during the course of a 24-hour day also called the biological clock. This biological clock responds to external cues like sunshine and darkness and controls when a person sleeps (or feels sleepy). In most cases, the darkness of the night triggers sleepiness. Not sleeping when you are drowsy may give rise to this disorder.
Blindness: The inability to detect light and darkness may cause disruptions in the biological clock, which can result in sleep disorders.
Mental Illness: Most patients with mental illness experience some type of sleep disorder. Depression often causes patients to wake up early in the morning, unable to go back to sleep.
Physical Illness: Many physical illnesses and diseases cause sleep disorders. Difficulty sleeping can result from chemical changes in the body caused by disease or by the medications used to treat the disease.
Aging: About 50% of adults over the age of 65 have some type of sleep disorder. It is not clear whether this is a normal part of aging, or a result of medications.
Sleep apnea: Sleep apnea can cause symptoms of clinical depression which may respond quickly to treatment of the sleep disorder. Knowledge of the intellectual and emotional impact of sleep apnea will go a long way in making a correct differential diagnosis.
Terror: Severe insecurity or mortal danger to life may cause Sleep Disorders.
Sleep Disorders in Infants: Toddlers need to sleep at least five hours at stretch. Infants have trouble sleeping when the frequently wake up due to fever, ear infection, allergies, intestinal discomfort, colds, pin worms, urinary tract infections, etc.
Treatment of Sleep Disorders:
Stress reduction, good sleep hygiene and possibly medication may help you improve sleep quality. Relaxation techniques are especially helpful in preparing the body to sleep. Exercise, done early in the day, also helps in reducing stress and promoting deeper sleep. Lots of therapies like Stimulus control therapy, Relaxation therapy, Sleep restriction therapy act as remedy for these disorders. Babies must be comforted by using loose covers when they are older and by using tight ones when they are just born.
Medication:
These can be treated but you need to take extensive medication like Stimulants, Modafinil, and Xyrem etc. Proper pediatric care will help your infant get sound sleep. Always consult a pediatrician in case of any trouble.
Sleep Disorders warrant a visit to the clinic be it you or your child. Sometimes they may be symptoms of deeper trouble in the body like Apnea .At least they indicate that something is amiss with your or child normal health and lifestyle.
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