8 Most common sleep disorders

Sleep disorders are changes in the ability to sleep properly, whether due to brain changes, dysregulation between sleep and wakefulness, respiratory changes or movement disorders, and some common examples are insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, somnambulism or sleep syndrome. restless legs.

There are dozens of sleep disorders, which can occur at any age, and are more frequent in children or the elderly. Whenever they exist, these disorders must be treated, because when they persist they can seriously affect the health of the body and mind. Understand why we need to sleep well.

If symptoms of sleep disorders arise, the professional best suited to diagnose and treat the cause is the sleep specialist, however, other professionals such as general practitioner, family doctor, geriatrician, psychiatrist or neurologist can assess the causes and indicate the correct treatment in most cases.

Some forms of treatment include cognitive-behavioral therapy, which teaches ways to improve the ability to sleep, and medications may be indicated. It is also important to determine and treat what is triggering these changes, be it depression, anxiety, respiratory or neurological diseases, for example.

1. Insomnia

Insomnia is the most frequent sleep disorder, and can be characterized by difficulty in initiating sleep, difficulty in sleeping, waking up at night, waking up early or even being identified due to complaints of feeling tired during the day.

It can arise in isolation or be secondary to a disease, such as depression, hormonal changes or neurological diseases, for example, or be caused by certain substances or remedies such as alcohol, caffeine, ginseng, tobacco, diuretics or some antidepressants.

In addition, in many cases, insomnia is caused simply by the existence of inappropriate habits, which impair the ability to sleep, such as not having a sleep routine, being in a very bright or noisy environment, eating too much or having energy drinks at night. Understand how using your cell phone at night disturbs sleep.

What to do: to combat insomnia, it is necessary to go to the doctor, who can assess the existence or not of conditions or diseases that are causing insomnia, through clinical analysis and tests. It is oriented to do sleep hygiene, through habits that favor sleeping, and when necessary, medications such as melatonin or anxiolytics can also be indicated. Learn how to do sleep hygiene.

2. Sleep apnea

Also called obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, or OSAS, this is a breathing disorder in which there is an interruption of the respiratory flow due to the collapse of the airways.

This disease causes changes in sleep, occurring an inability to reach deeper stages, and hindering adequate rest. Thus, people with sleep apnea tend to be sleepy during the day, causing complications such as headaches, loss of concentration, irritability, memory changes and high blood pressure.

What to do: the diagnosis is indicated by polysomnography, and treatment is done using adaptive oxygen masks, called CPAP, in addition to changes in habits such as losing weight and avoiding smoking. In certain cases, surgery may be indicated to correct the narrowing or obstruction of the air in the airways, caused by deformities, or the placement of implants.

See how to identify and treat sleep apnea.

3. Excessive sleepiness during the day

Excessive daytime sleepiness is the difficulty in staying awake and alert throughout the day, with an excess of sleep, which disrupts the performance of daily activities and may even expose the person to risk when driving cars or handling equipment.

It is usually caused by situations that deprive the existence of adequate sleep, such as having little time to sleep, sleep interrupted several times or waking up too early, and also due to the use of certain drugs that cause sleep, or diseases such as anemia, hypothyroidism, epilepsy or depression, for example.

What to do: The treatment is indicated by the doctor according to the cause of the problem, and consists mainly of improving the quality of sleep during the night. Naps scheduled during the day can be useful in some situations and, in cases strictly indicated by the doctor, the use of stimulant drugs may be recommended.

4. Sleepwalking

Sleepwalking is part of the class of disorders that cause inappropriate behavior during sleep, called parasomnias, in which there is a change in the sleep pattern due to the activation of areas of the brain at inappropriate times. It is more common in children, although it can exist at any age.

The person with sleepwalking manifests complex motor activities, such as walking or talking, and can then wake up or go back to sleep normally. There is usually little or no recollection of what happened.

What to do: in most cases, no treatment is necessary, and the condition tends to decrease after adolescence. In some cases, your doctor may recommend anxiolytic or antidepressant medications to help regulate sleep.

Understand what sleepwalking is and how to cope.

5. Restless legs syndrome

Restless legs syndrome is a neurological disorder that causes discomfort in the legs, usually associated with the uncontrollable need to move the legs, and usually appears during rest or at bedtime.

It has a probable genetic cause, and can be worsened due to periods of stress, by the use of stimulating substances, such as caffeine or alcohol, or in the case of neurological and psychiatric diseases. This syndrome disrupts sleep and can cause drowsiness during the day and fatigue.

What to do: The treatment involves measures to reduce discomfort and improve the individual's quality of life, including avoiding the use of stimulating substances, such as alcohol, smoking and caffeine, practicing physical exercises and avoiding depriving sleep, as fatigue worsens the painting. The doctor may also indicate medications such as dopaminergics, opioids, anticonvulsants or iron replacement in specific cases.

Find out more about what it is and how to treat this syndrome.

6. Bruxism

Bruxism is a movement disorder characterized by the unconscious act of grinding and clenching your teeth involuntarily, causing unpleasant complications such as dental changes, constant headaches, as well as snapping and jaw pain.

What to do: The treatment of bruxism is guided by the dentist, and includes the use of a device fitted over the teeth to prevent wear, correction of dental changes, relaxation methods and physiotherapy.

Check out more guidelines on what to do to control bruxism.

7. Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is an attack of uncontrollable sleep, which causes the person to sleep at any time and in any environment, requiring the person to make a lot of effort to avoid falling asleep. Attacks can occur a few or several times a day, and sleep usually lasts for a few minutes.

What to do: Treatment includes behavioral measures to improve sleep, such as sleeping and getting up at regular times, avoiding alcoholic beverages or drugs with a sedative effect, taking scheduled naps, avoiding smoking and caffeine, and in some cases, the use is indicated of medications like Modafinil or other psychostimulants.

Learn more about how to identify and treat narcolepsy.

8. Sleep paralysis

Sleep paralysis is characterized by the inability to move or speak soon after waking up. It appears for a brief period due to a delay in the ability to move the muscles after awakening from sleep. Some people may experience hallucinations, such as seeing lights or ghosts, but this is because the brain has just awakened from a phase of sleep in which vivid dreams occur, called REM sleep.

People most at risk of developing this phenomenon are those who have had sleep deprivation, due to the use of certain medications or due to the presence of other sleep disorders, such as narcolepsy or sleep apnea.

What to do: sleep paralysis generally does not require treatment, as it is a benign change that lasts a few seconds or minutes. When experiencing sleep paralysis, one should remain calm and try to move the muscles.

Check out everything about sleep paralysis.

Watch the following video and see what tips you should follow to sleep better: