Having a sound sleep has become way too challenging in recent times. With the increase in workload and hectic schedules, our sleeping patterns are getting disturbed. Our lifestyle and exposure to technology also affect our sleeping schedules.
Sleep today feels like a luxury. We take it for granted. Hence, different sleeping orders come into force, and they make us low and tired.
However, sleep should not work according to our wishes. A pre-decided sleeping cycle must be followed and should be followed religiously. This is the only key if you want to lead a healthy life.
A lot of people take different kinds of sleeping pills, which help them in sleeping. This can help you in the short run. In case you want to sleep properly in the long run without any interruptions, you will have to make significant changes to your lifestyle.
The Psychological Aspects of Sleeping Disorders
Sleeping disorders can trouble you mentally. If you suffer from different sleeping disorders, there are high chances of you being affected by mental illness. Even if that does not happen, the risk to your mental health increases.
Also, improper sleep makes you feel tired. Your next day might be completely unproductive, which can make you feel a little low or under the weather. An erratic sleep pattern also can lead you to depression.
We tend to lead a very hectic life, and this comes with a truckload of work, which can give you both physical and mental burdens. This burden can turn into real pain at times.
A body ache can keep you up for hours. Sleep becomes impossible in such a case, but the irony is that it is sleeping alone that can give you some form of relief. In case you are having trouble sleeping in such a situation, you can have chamomile or a lavender tea for pain relief.
Sleeping is important. A lot of people struggle with mental health issues due to their sleeping patterns. If our natural sleeping cycle is altered, several types of sleep disorders might come into the picture.
Sleep disorders can also affect your health. It can also meddle with any kind of treatment that you might be undergoing. Therefore, it is better to consult a doctor if you are facing any kind of sleeping issues.
Insomnia and Its Effects
Many people who face difficulty in sleeping are more prone to depression. Insomnia is a very common sleeping disorder where a person might find it difficult to fall asleep. About half the population of people who suffer from insomnia also suffer from depression.
People with insomnia are twice more likely to develop depression symptoms compared to someone who sleeps well. Sleeping disorders can play with your psychology. You might find yourself mostly distracted if you don't get a good night's rest.
Depression and insomnia have a circular relationship. Any one of the two can cause the other. Insomnia will make you aware that you are not heading towards a good space. Therefore, treating insomnia is very important if you want to lead a healthy life.
Schizophrenia and Sleeping Disorders
In the case of Schizophrenia, people interpret reality differently or abnormally, to be precise. People hallucinate or have delusions, and they also exhibit disordered thinking. Several people who suffer from Schizophrenia are known to face problems with their sleep.
Again, there is a circular relationship. Schizophrenia plays with your psychology, and your sleeping patterns are responsible for this. People suffering from Schizophrenia take a very long time to fall asleep, and they also wake up quite frequently in the middle of the night.
Bipolarity and Sleep
The most common symptom of a person suffering from bipolar disorder is the inability to sleep. In most cases, retaining a sleep phase is also a huge problem. People who experience manic episodes give up their willingness to sleep.
Sleeping disorders create a lot of chaos and instability. Your brain is never at ease if a long-term sleeping disorder kicks in. People suffering from a bipolar disorder don’t complain about sleeping issues as they feel energetic, and they skip sleep altogether without even realizing it.
These disorders need immediate attention. The patient must go and visit a doctor before it’s too late. If a patient suffering from a bipolar disorder and a sleeping disorder is not treated soon enough, he might have a psychotic breakdown sooner or later.
Relationship Between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Sleep Disorders
Sleeping patterns are disturbed for a person who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorders or PTSD. People who work in a high-stress environment are most likely to be affected by this disease. This disease creates a lot of discomfort and results in sleeping issues that can lead to staying up the entire night.
If you have trouble sleeping, you might develop PTSD. In such a case, you will feel tired the entire day. It will expose you to other mental health issues, and your sleeping pattern will also be badly affected.
Ways to Improve Sleeping Patterns
The first and foremost way to improve your sleep cycle is to eat healthily. If you eat fresh, you will feel highly energetic the entire day. This will help you sleep better through the course of the night.
Also, major lifestyle changes should be brought into the picture. You should try and wake up early in the morning so that you can go to bed early. You must also avoid drinking a lot of tea, coffee, soda, etc. throughout the day as these substances tend to interfere with your natural sleep cycle and can have a negative impact.
People should also avoid excessive smoking and alcohol consumption. These substances can affect your sleeping pattern. Therefore, you must limit their consumption.
A very effective way to cure sleeping disorders is light therapy. If you expose yourself to light at a very early stage of the day, you would naturally recover from these irregularities in your sleeping pattern. While this won't cure your sleeping difficulties in a day, regularly practicing this can have a positive impact as bright light can help wake you up every morning, setting a routine for your body.
A good night's sleep is key to a healthy lifestyle. It helps keep various physical and mental issues at bay so that you can live your life worry-free.
Isreal olabanji a dental assistant and public health professionals and has years of experience in assisting the dentist with all sorts of dental issues.
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The content is intended to augment, not replace, information provided by your clinician. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Reading this information does not create or replace a doctor-patient relationship or consultation. If required, please contact your doctor or other health care provider to assist you to interpret any of this information, or in applying the information to your individual needs.