The Hazards of Sleep Disorders

Circle of Wellness
Physical - Body

A good night’s sleep promises a more productive tomorrow, and a bad night of sleep can make you drag through the next day. Whether it is a lack of sleep, too much sleep or sleeping fitfully, sleep problems are considered to be serious health conditions. We have gathered information here on what causes sleep disorders, and how to tackle the problem.

Dyssomnia

Dyssomnia is the inability to sleep properly, or to remain asleep for an adequate period of time. This includes problems with the quantity, quality, and timing of sleep. Various factors leading to dyssomnia include anxiety, depression, fear, bipolar disorders, disagreeable medication, excessive caffeine intake, trying to sleep too early, and day-time napping.

There are about thirty recognised types of dyssomnia disorders, falling under following three subcategories:

1. Intrinsic Sleep Disorders

The major intrinsic disorders are:

• Insomnia. This condition is characterised by the inability to sleep and to stay asleep for a healthy period of time. Insomnia is more of a symptom of sleep disorders rather than a condition in and of itself. Insomnia can be attributed to almost all the causes of dyssomnia, but can also occur for no reason at all.

• Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Sleep apnea, or apnoea, is a condition that involves pauses or stoppages in breathing during the sleeping process. Stoppages can occur hundreds of times during a night, without the sleeping person being aware of it. Affecting people of all age groups, the causes of sleep apnea include the interruption in breathing due to absence of effort (central sleep apnea) or to interruption due to a physical blockages of the respiratory passages (obstructive sleep apnea).

• Hypopnea Syndrome. This disorder is characterised by abnormally shallow breathing or a slow respiratory rate during sleep. With symptoms such as undue sleepiness resulting from frequent interruption in sleep, hypopnea can also make a person snore heavily. Snoring is occasionally interrupted by choking noises or loud snorts, and then followed by short periods of silence. There could also be other symptoms such as depression, nervousness, headaches, lack of concentration, forgetfulness, mood swings and general weakness.

• Narcolepsy.Narcolepsy is the sense of undue sleepiness felt during the day. While there is no established cause, the problem is primarily attributed to genetic factors. Factors that can exacerbate this condition include depressive disorders, inadequate sleep, insomnia, social seclusion, monotony, and a lack of physical activity.

• Hypersomnia. This condition is characterised by a feeling of excessive sleepiness. Also known as ‘excessive daytime sleepiness’, hypersomnia can be triggered by an brain injury, depression, fibromyalgia, uraemia, and genetic predisposition.

• Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS). RLS is characterised by an urge to move one’s legs during sleep. The exact causes leading to the condition are not yet known. However, the majority of experts attribute it to genetic factors.

• Periodic Leg Movement Disorder (PLMD). Also known as Nocturnal Myoclonus, PLMD involves involuntary movement of limbs during sleep, to overcome possible discomfort.

This normally leads to sleepiness and fatigue during the following day. Relatively more common amongst older people, PLMD is believed to be caused by a shortage of vitamins (specifically vitamin E), and minerals like iron and calcium in the body.

2. Extrinsic Sleep Disorders

These sleep disorders are secondary developments environmental conditions or a number of pathological complications. Some of the most common are:

• Alcohol Related Sleep Disorder. This is caused by indiscrete indulgence in drinking. • Food Allergy Insomnia. As the name suggests, food allergies give rise to this form of insomnia.

• Inadequate Sleep-Routine Disorders. Continual problem in getting sufficient sleep causes these kinds of sleep disorders.

3. Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders

• Advanced Sleep Phase Syndrome (ASPS). ASPS makes a person feel extremely sleepy very early in the evening, and compels them to wake up incredibly early, even at midnight.

• Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome (DSPS). DSPS is a chronic sleep disorder problem that causes an inability to stick to a planned sleep schedule. People with this syndrome can only fall asleep very late, and as such, find it very difficult to wake up at a desirable time. However once asleep, there is no abnormality in the quality of sleep.

• Shift-Work Disorder. Persons engaged in shift work, with no fixed timings for going to sleep, tend to acquire this type of sleeping disorder, which results in a sleep schedule that doesn’t follow the normal 24 hour rotation.

• Jetlag. Similar to the effects of shift-work disorders, jetlag is primarily caused by disruption of the body’s circadian rhythms due to travel across time zones.

Parasomnia

Parasomnias, relatively more prevalent in children than in adults, are sleep disorders involving partial awakening during sleep. The major parasomnias are:

• Bruxism. Bruxism is the name given to abnormal chewing actions, involving the clenching and grinding of the teeth. While some experts believe that this occurs due to asymmetrical teeth, others attribute bruxism to anxiety, digestive problems or disturbed sleep patterns. A common sleep disorder, bruxism can cause dental damage in the form of chips or cracks in the teeth, and wear and tear of the biting surface.

• REM Behaviour Disorder (RBD). RBD relates to the rapid eye movement (REM) stage of sleep, during which most vivid dreams take place. RBD is a loss of motor inhibitions while asleep. RBD can range from simple limb twitches, to more complex integrated movements, leading to violence and injuries, all while unconscious.

• Sleepwalking. Also known as somnambulism, this disorder makes sleeping people walk, or act in other ways that are normally associated with wakefulness.

• Sleep Talking. Sleep talking (or somniloquy) is a rather harmless sleep disorder that is characterised by people talking or shouting in their sleep. It can occur by itself or can occur along with RBD and sleepwalking.

• Sleep Terror. This sleep disorder causes a person to wake up from a deep sleep gasping, moaning, or screaming in extreme terror. Typically happening during non-REM sleep, the person is never fully awakened, and usually goes back to sleep without any further problem.

• Bedwetting. More prevalent amongst children below six years of age, bedwetting (also called as sleep-wetting or nocturnal enuresis) involves involuntary passing of urine while asleep.

• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). SIDS is characterised by the abrupt death of otherwise healthy infants between one month and one year old, without any apparent reason. Neither the cause of this disorder has been identified, nor has a cure been found so far.

• Exploding Head Syndrome. This is a disorder (occurring within one to two hours of falling asleep) that is characterised by an unusually loud noise, like a roar or explosion, perceived to be coming from within one’s own head.

• Sleep Sex. Sleep sex, also called sexsomania, is a sleep disorder causing one to indulge in sexual acts while asleep. A non-REM parasomnia, the disorder is attributed to abnormal brain-wave activities.

Snoring

Snoring, which is an indication of impaired breathing during sleep, is not considered as a disorder by itself, but rather a symptom of more serious problems. A person normally snores because of the blockage in the movement of air during breathing.

The blockage of airflow can be caused by problems in the throat, including accumulation of fat jaw ailments, blocked nasal passages, and allergies.

Sleep Disorders Caused By Other Physical/Emotional Conditions

Other conditions that can cause sleep disorders include anxiety, depression, psychoses (for example, schizophrenia), panic, mood disorders, and alcoholism.

Common Causes of Sleep Disorders

Apart from the physical and lifestyle causes, chronic pains (primarily back pain), neck conditions, sciatica, environmental noise, incontinence, and reactions to medication, can also cause sleep disorders.

Treatments

Treatments include medications, psychotherapy, behavioural thaerpay, as well as somatic methods. Since the use of sleeping tablets and sedatives may be habit forming, psychological help and inculcation of better sleeping habits are better alternatives whenever possible. A word of caution: One should never resort to self-medication, as it may be dangerous, or even fatal. Treatment should always be prescribed by a doctor. However, one can take advantage of various support groups. A number of self help groups under the aegis of Sleep/Wake Disorders Canada (SWDC) are engaged in providing assistance to people affected by sleep disorders.