A sleep disorder is a condition that disrupts your regular sleep pattern. There are multiple types of sleep disorders, including insomnia, restless leg syndrome (RLS), sleep apnea, hypersomnia, circadian rhythm disorders, and parasomnia. While these sleep disorders vary in signs and symptoms, each one causes disturbed sleep cycles and can lead to mental, emotional, and physical health complications. Especially when left untreated, sleep disorders can contribute to the development of various other conditions.

Sleep disorder commonly leads to sleep deprivation. When you don’t get enough sleep each night, it may begin to affect your ability to function in day-to-day activities. Adults generally need at least seven to eight hours of sleep per night to be rested and ready for the coming day. The amount of sleep that you need every night may differ depending on how old you are, the lifestyle you lead, and the state of your health, among other factors.

Signs of sleep disorder may vary depending on the specifics of the individual disorder. Generally, people with sleep disorders may struggle to fall asleep at night but feel sleepy throughout the day. Common symptoms for various sleep disorders include:

• Waking up multiple times throughout the night
• Waking up excessively early in the morning.
• Taking over 30 minutes to fall asleep each night
• Trouble falling back asleep after waking up throughout the night
• Fatigue during the day and/or a need to take multiple naps
• Falling asleep at strange times (i.e. while driving)
• Snoring, gasping, snorting, and intermittent breathing while sleeping
• Irregular breathing patterns during sleep
• Jerking limbs during sleep
• Intense dreams or dream-like sensations while falling asleep
• Feeling unable to move after waking up
• Tingling or creeping sensations while trying to fall asleep
• Sudden onset muscle weakness in moments of intense emotion (anger, fear, etc.)

Depending on the type of sleep disorder that you’re experiencing, a range of treatment methods may be effective. The treatment of disrupted sleep generally starts by determining its cause. If the underlying cause of a sleep disorder is another health condition, that condition may need to be treated and effectively managed before the patient regains a healthy sleep schedule.

If a sleep disorder isn’t caused by an underlying mental or physical condition, it may require an individual treatment plan. Common treatment strategies for sleep disorder include:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behavior therapy is a treatment method that may be effectiveness in the management of stress, anxiety, depression, and other behavioral causes of disordered sleep. Cognitive behavioral therapy can also help in the adoption of relaxation methods and stress-relieving habits to improve sleep quality.

Medications and/or supplements

Sleeping pills, melatonin supplements, allergy or cold medications, or medications for conditions causing sleep disorder may help ease disrupted sleep.

Devices to facilitate breathing

For individuals with respiratory problems that can cause disrupted sleep, breathing devices may help achieve better quality sleep. Breathing devices can also help reduce snoring, snorting, and grunting while sleeping

Dental guards

Dental guards may help prevent teeth grinding that can result from some sleep disorders.