What are Sleeping Disorders? They say all you need is a good night’s sleep to tide over your woes. But what happens when sleep is distorted? Believe it or not, the lack of sleep, or excessive sleep, can derail your entire life. Such disruptions in regular sleeping patterns are commonly referred to as sleep disorders. Proper sleep is an important factor for healthy living. When we sleep our body undertakes much needed maintenance work on a cellular level, regulating metabolism, heart rate, and breathing rates. Adequate sleep is also required for the efficient functioning of the immune and nervous systems. Every healthy individual requires at least 6-8 hours of sleep, in the absence of which sleep disorders can wreck havoc on the system.
Symptoms of Sleeping Disorders
Sleep disorders are flagged off by extreme fatigue, lack of focus, constant irritability, slow reactions and reflexes, outbursts, difficulty staying awake during the day or the inability to fall asleep at night, restless sleep, mood swings, loud, disruptive snoring, physical discomfort during sleep, and morning headaches.Causes of Sleeping Disorders
Sleep disorders on the rise due to a number of factors; the most common causes of sleeping disorders include a drastic change in lifestyle. People working in shifts or moving between time zones suffer from irregular sleep schedules and are most likely to suffer from this factor. Stress, anxiety and depression are another common cause of growing cases of sleep disorder. Similarly chronic pain too can result in sleep disorders. Sleep disorders maybe also be caused as a side effect of powerful medication or a result of withdrawal. In some cases they may be a symptom of an underlying medical condition.
Home Remedies for Sleeping Disorders
While it is best to consult a medical professional in case of severely disrupted sleep, there are a number of things you can do at home to speed recovery. First, set up a strict ‘sleep schedule.’ Wake up and retire to bed according to these timings and your body will accustom itself to this discipline. Incorporate relaxing techniques into your schedule before you hit the bed: this can be a long hot bath or simply a stroll in the garden, anything that calms your mind before you sleep. Many sleeping disorders can be addressed simply by sleeping on one’s side (snoring, sleep apnea). Sleeping on your back can restrict air flow into your body due to constricted airways. By sleeping on your sides you can eliminate this problem. Follow this up with a daily exercise schedule and a healthy diet and you’re sure to be on your way to recovery.
Diet for Sleeping Disorders
The food we eat affects out sleeping patterns. Introducing stimulants into your system close to sleeping hours is bound to affect sleep. It is therefore advisable to cut out caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol before bedtime.
Certain foods help enhance sleep. These include warm milk and milk based products like yogurt (they include tryptophan, a sleep promoting agent), leafy greens, whole grains (known to have a calming effect on the nervous system), and complex carbohydrates. Other beneficial foods include tuna, walnuts, avocado, eggs, pumpkin, and banana. While you should never go to bed on an empty stomach, be sure to avoid large meals just before bedtime.
Suggestion for Sleeping Disorders
Other Suggestions for Sleeping Disorders Along with a structured lifestyle and a balanced diet you can also try out some alternative therapies to enhance sleep. Techniques like meditation, acupuncture, aromatherapy, and massages are known to de-stress the body and mind by easing tension and flushing out toxins, and induce a state of inner calm. This goes a long way in promoting sleep. You can also manage external factors like controlling a noisy environment or a cluttered surrounding, replacing uncomfortable sleeping arrangements like hard mattresses and pillows to allow for a restful sleep.
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