About Sleep Disorders

Sleep disorders can be divided into four main categories. These include:
1. Dyssomnias: Dyssomnias are disturbances in the amount, timing, or quality of sleep resulting in excessive daytime sleepiness or insomnia. Some of the more common examples of dyssomnias sleep disorders include; insomnia, narcolepsy, sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, periodic limb movements in sleep, inadequate sleep hygiene, environmental sleep disorder, insufficient sleep syndrome, stimulant/alcohol-dependent sleep disorder, jet lag, shift-work sleep disorder and irregular sleep-wake pattern.

2. Parasomnias: Parasomnias are disorders of partial arousal or disorders that interfere with sleep stage transitions or abnormal events during sleep. Parasomnias usually occur during the REM (rapid eye movement) sleep stage. Some common examples of parasomnia sleep disorder include: nightmares, sleep paralysis, REM sleep behavior disorder, confusional arousals, sleepwalking, sleep terrors, rhythmic movement disorder, sleep starts, sleep talking, nocturnal leg cramps, teeth grinding, bedwetting, primary snoring, infant sleep apnea, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

3. Medical/psychiatric disorders: Some medical/psychiatric sleep disorders include: alcoholism, pulmonary disease, asthma, sleep-related gastroesophageal reflux, peptic ulcer, fibrositis syndrome; degenerative brain disorders, dementia, sleep-related epilepsy, sleep-related headaches, Psychoses, anxiety, depression, and panic disorders.
4. Proposed sleep disorders. These include short sleepers, long sleepers , subwakefulness syndrome, fragmentary myoclonus (brief, involuntary jerks or twitches), sleep hyperhydrosis (night sweats), Menstrual-associated sleep disorder, pregnancy-associated sleep disorder, terrifying hypnagogic hallucinations, sleep-related laryngospasm, and sleep choking syndrome.

Cures for Insomnia

Insomnia is often a symptom of another condition rather than a condition of its own. If insomnia is caused by medical or psychological conditions, treatment will focus on those underlying conditions. Since falling asleep is a passive process that requires the body and mind to be relaxed, strategies which calm both the mind and body are very helpful in managing insomnia.

Relaxation therapy may be successful for people with poor sleep habits that lie in bed with their minds racing. This therapy teaches progressive muscle relaxation, in which different muscle groups are tensed and relaxed, as well as attention-focusing techniques, such as meditation, which can help stop sleep-disturbing habits.

Exercise has a direct, beneficial effect on several factors that affect insomnia. It reduces the effects of stress, improves mood, and deepens sleep. Regular, daily exercise completed at least 4 hours before bedtime usually improves sleep performance significantly.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps a patient to recognize certain beliefs about themselves and sleep, to change those beliefs that may contribute to unhealthy patterns and to introduce positive behaviors that will help create good sleeping environment.

Stimulus-control therapy reestablishes the bed as a place for sleeping and sexual activity only, not for sleeplessness. For example, if you can't fall asleep in 15 minutes, you get out of bed and do something quiet and relaxing until you are sleepy again. Sleep-restriction therapy limits the time spent in bed to time spent sleeping.

Sleep medications may provide rapid relief of the symptoms of insomnia. However, many of these medications have side effects (such as high blood pressure, anxiety, nausea) and may have decreased effectiveness when the body becomes accustomed to the medications. Antidepressants can have a calming or sedative effect and assist sleep. Antihistamines, typically used for allergies may also be effective for sleep problems. Nonprescription medications for sleep, or sleeping pills, can help but also can have side effects, can be habit forming or cause increased sleep problems when the medications are stopped (rebound insomnia). They should not be used for more than 7 to 10 days. Other treatments for insomnia may include complementary and alternative medicines.

Some tips for insomniacs:

• Don't go to bed until you are drowsy.
• Get up at the same time each morning, even on weekends.
• Don't take naps.
• Make your sleeping environment comfortable i.e. dark, cool/warm and quiet.
• Eat a light carbohydrate snack before going to bed.
• Exercise regularly, but not generally after 6pm.
• Reduce or eliminate the use of alcohol.
• Reduce or eliminate the use of caffeine, especially after 4pm.
• Try to not smoke a lot before going to bed or stop smoking completely.

Cures for Snoring

Snoring that isn't related to sleep apnea responds well to home remedies. If home remedies do not succeed, consult a physician or an ENT (ear, nose and throat doctor). If you choose to try a dental appliance for your snoring, you will need to see a dentist specializing in these devices. There are many medical solutions to snoring, some even involving surgery.

Some tips for snorers:
Sleep on your side: Snoring is exacerbated when you sleep flat on your back because the flesh of the throat relaxes and can block the airway. Changing your sleep position may stop snoring if you are a mild snorer, but severe snorers usually snore in any position.

Lose weight: Many snorers are overweight. Losing weight will reduce the fatty tissue in your airway. Eating less and improving your fitness level can significantly improve your ability to breathe freely when you sleep.

In the bed: Sleep without a pillow: Pillows can block your airway by bending your neck. Elevation of the head of your bed by 4 inches may make breathing easier and encourage your tongue and jaw to move forward. Elevating the entire head of the bed is better than using a pillow, which can crimp the neck and contribute to snoring.

Stop smoking: Smoking relaxes muscles and also creates nasal and lung congestion. Smoking thus contributes to snoring. Stopping smoking can help with the noise and intensity of your snoring. Exposure to secondhand smoke can cause the same snoring problems as smoking does.

Watch what you eat and drink: Avoid eating food or drinking alcohol before bed. These both relax your muscles and therefore increase the likelihood of snoring. Avoid high-fat dairy milk products or soy milk products before sleeping. Non-skim milk products and soy milk products, because of their thickness, can keep mucus from draining properly. The result is mucus retained in the throat, which can lead to snoring.

Be careful of medications: Avoid antihistamines for allergies or stuffiness. They relax the throat muscles, which can cause snoring. Avoid sleeping pills or other sedatives which aid sleep, but also relax the neck muscles, which contribute to snoring. Try nasal decongestants to clear nose passages and assists breathing through the nose while sleeping. Nose breathing circumvents the snoring sound from breathing through a blocked throat.