Healthy sleep ensures that various body organs can work effectively as the body utilizes sleep to cleanse cellular damage from everyday activities. As such, sleep disorders have a huge effect on life quality. These conditions can make you feel tired and unfocused during the day and sometimes attribute to more serious systemic health concerns. However, many individuals have never sought Bronx sleep medicine, and may not understand what signs warrant a doctor’s visit. If you regularly have concerns consistent with significant sleep disorders, it is advisable to seek expert assistance. Here is what you should watch out for with major sleep disorders.
- Insomnia
Insomnia is a prevalent sleep disorder that could render it difficult to fall asleep, remain asleep, or make you awaken too early and find difficulties returning to sleep. This condition can make you feel tired when you awaken, as well as affect your mood levels, work performance, and life quality.
Occasionally, numerous adults suffer acute insomnia, which persists for days or weeks, and is often the result of a traumatic event or stress. However, some individuals have chronic insomnia that lasts for even months. Insomnia could be a primary concern or linked to medications or other health concerns your sleep doctor can diagnose.
- Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea happens once your breathing is disrupted or disturbed during sleep. The most prevalent form of this condition is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which occurs once soft tissue in the back of the throat relaxes excessively to enable normal breathing.
Obstructive sleep apnea can cause disruptive snoring and even insomnia. Besides, serious cases can be possibly life-threatening, thus, requiring prompt medical attention.
- Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is serious drowsiness and uncontrolled sleep episodes during the day. These bouts might be profound and sudden and strike without warning. Narcolepsy events are quite dangerous as they could result in accidents at work or home. Therefore, if you do not experience restful sleep, constant your sleep doctor.
- Restless Leg Syndrome
Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is the irresistible urge to move your legs. You may experience RLS at night or during the day. This sensation often flares up once the patient is at rest, for instance, while lying down or confined in a place like a train or working desk. Moving provides momentary relief from the buildup of “pins and needles” or “itchy” sensations in the affected limbs.
- Periodic Limb Movements
This condition refers to the spontaneous, repetitive jerking of your legs that happens while you are asleep. Unlike RLS, these periodic leg movements cannot happen when you are awake.
While the movements can sometimes awaken you, they do not. In most cases, your partner will be the first to notice. One common symptom associated with the condition includes fatigue, which makes most people confuse it for insomnia.
It is normal to experience occasional sleep difficulties, especially in the face of numerous factors like hormones, stress, diet, aging, and more. However, the distinction between occasional nights spent turning and tossing, and a sleep disorder like insomnia is not clear-cut. Therefore, you should not dismiss any concern, no matter how mild it might seem. Obtaining the correct diagnosis is crucial in dealing with any sleep condition. Your sleep specialist will perform a comprehensive assessment and suggest the most appropriate plan to address the symptoms and any underlying condition.