A good night’s sleep is crucial for all of us to be able to function properly. Unfortunately, many people may be suffering from some sort of condition that is keeping them from sleeping well. Here are some conditions that could be affecting the quality of your sleep and what you should do about them.
Sleep Apnea
In addition to disrupting your sleep, sleep apnea can be dangerous for your health. Sleep apnea causes an individual to temporarily stop breathing while they are sleeping. There are several types of sleep apnea, including obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. The first is caused by relaxed throat muscles, while the second is caused by signals in your brain while you sleep.
In order to treat your sleep apnea, your doctor may suggest that you need to use a special machine at night that will help you breathe properly. Additionally, individuals that are overweight may see an improvement in their sleep apnea just by losing weight.
RLS
RLS (restless leg syndrome), also known as Willis Ekbom disease, seems like a fairly innocent condition. However, it can ruin your sleep. It is, as its name says, a feeling of restlessness in the legs that is relieved through movement. Often, the sensation is described as an aching, itching, throbbing, or crawling feeling. Symptoms are most common in the evening and night hours or after a period of rest. Because of this, RLS can make it difficult to fall asleep, and it can cause your legs to twitch or move while you sleep, which can disrupt your mind’s rest.
Your doctor may prescribe medication for the condition if it’s disrupting your sleep enough to interfere with your daily life. However, these aren’t always the best option long term. Alternatively, there are many home remedies to try. Foot wraps, warm baths, massages, and heating or cooling packs can all help relieve symptoms. A regular exercise routine can also help, as long as the exercise isn’t done too in the day.
Anxiety
A lot of individuals that have anxiety might not realize that it can affect their quality of sleep. It can keep you from falling asleep when you need to, especially if you tend to ruminate on your worries at night.
Even when you do fall asleep, anxiety can give you troubled sleep, and you may wake up often, decreasing the quality of your sleep. Therapy may be able to help you work through the anxiety that keeps you awake. It can also give you strategies for dealing with episodes of anxiety when they occur.
Insomnia
Occasional insomnia is common, affecting 33 percent of adults according to some studies. While not being able to sleep on occasion isn’t particularly concerning, you may want to seek medical treatment if you are finding that insomnia is frequently getting in the way of you being able to sleep.
You may need to take medication or change your night-time routine in order to get rid of your insomnia. Many individuals find that they are able to fall asleep faster by not watching television or scrolling on their phones when they are laying in bed at night.
Heartburn
If you feel a burning sensation in your chest or your throat, it may be heartburn. This condition doesn’t tend to be serious, but it can cause you to not get the quality sleep that you want. Heartburn occurs when your esophagus doesn’t close as it should.
In many cases, this condition can be treated by taking medication or by changing your diet. If you suffer from heartburn, you shouldn’t eat a few hours before going to bed. You may also find that raising the head of the bed can help as well.
TMD
The joint of your jaw, called the temporomandibular joint or TMJ, can become damaged or inflamed. In addition to other symptoms, this can cause headaches and muscle pain in the neck and shoulders. You may notice that the pain wakes you at night or is worse in the morning. A common cause of TMD (temporomandibular joint disorders) is teeth grinding, which many people unconsciously do in their sleep. In addition to hurting your jaw, it can also damage your teeth. You may notice odd clicking or grinding noises when you move your mouth, your mouth may lock open or shut, or you may have trouble chewing.
Sleep therapy can help you overcome TMD and other sleep problems. Professionals will help you isolate the source of your pain and give you strategies for overcoming it. You may need to wear a mouthguard at night or you may need to change your daily habits. But with the right habits, you can get a better night’s sleep.
If your sleeping habits aren’t what they used to be, it may be because you have some sort of medical condition that needs to be treated. By getting to the root of the problem, you can start getting the quality of sleep that you desire.
