Our body has a particular way of telling us that something is wrong. When we focus on disturbed sleep in depth, we will find it can be due to a number of reasons.
In the UAE, insomnia, or sleeplessness, is common and those who suffer from it are diagnosed when they are unable to fall asleep (onset insomnia), wake up numerous times throughout the night (maintenance insomnia) or very early in the morning (early morning awakening).
Reasons for insomnia
It is not a condition as many perceive it but rather a symptom of a primary problem especially if the symptoms last for a long period of time. If not, it can be attributed to stress.
However, reasons for chronic insomnia can be very serious and may include diabetes, arthritis, heart and kidney problems or Parkinson’s. Therefore seeking advice from a specialist is recommended.
If left untreated one could experience irritability, poor concentration, fatigue, anxiety and possible depression, says Dr Shadi Sharifi, specialist at Dubai Homeopathy Centre.
“Acute insomnia lasts a few days or weeks and is usually self-limiting without treatment, but chronic insomnia lasts several weeks with poor sleep quality every night,” says Sharifi. “This is a complex disorder with many possible causes.”
The primary medical conditions that cause insomnia can be determined through an evaluation of the patient’s medical history, physical examination, medication linked to sleep disturbance and data provided from a sleep clinic.
Some of these clinics perform a sleep study using a Respironics machine.
As the patient sleeps, the study (polysomnogram) electronically records data to be analysed by a specialist.
Negative effects
A person will start feeling immediate effects if even one night of sleep is missed and if the patient has remained awake for more than 24 hours.
Hypersomnia is a term used to describe those who sleep “too much” with an overwhelming urge to snooze during the day — or find it difficult to wake from the night before.
This condition may be attributed to narcolepsy (falling asleep anytime without warning) or sleep apnea (lack of oxygen).
Warning signs include anxiety, hallucinations, slow speech and deteriorating appetite.
Time to sleep
“Several medical conditions and many types of sleep disorders fragment and cause sleep disturbance,” says Sharifi.
They can only be determined according to the diagnostic criteria, the patients’ medical history files and laboratory findings.
Only then can the evaluation and right treatment be recommended.
“Normal sleep time ranges from 5-10 hours; the average is 7 and a half hours,” says Sharifi.
Sleep, she emphasises is as crucial as food, air and water. Otherwise daily performance, mood , immune system, memory, body-mind harmony as well as other areas in our lives can be seriously compromised.
“According to studies when driving, the effects of lack of sleep can be worse than alcohol,” she says.
So, if you experience any of the mentioned symptoms, seek professional guidance.
Disorders: Short guide
Below are examples of some of the most common types of sleep disorders.
- Sleep Apnea is when a person wakes up continuously due to lack of oxygen. It can be related to a congestion in the nose as a result of obesity. Another symptom includes snoring.
- Restless Leg Syndrome is a disorder linked to the nervous system often involving a strange sensation in the legs and an urge to move. The feeling momentarily disappears when the leg is moved. Severity ranges from mild to intolerable.
- Sleepwalking is when a person engages in activities associated with wakefulness such as walking, eating and bathing while asleep.
- Night terror is a sense of threat to an individual’s life that leads one to wake up suddenly screaming or gasping unlike in a nightmare where a terrifying dream disturbs one’s sleep.
Fact check: Sleep well
Here are a few things to consider for a perfect
night’s sleep.
- Go and see a qualified doctor if you have serious problems sleeping or as soon as symptoms of a sleep disorder are felt.
- Try and avoid sleeping pills because they may cause side effects.
- Do exercises to maintain a healthy balance between mind and body.
- Change bedroom design and remove possible. distractions like a televisionn Prepare a sleep schedule.
- Turn off mobile phone.
- Enhance your lifestyle and note down your worries and ways of getting rid of them so you don’t lie awake.
- Drink hot chamomile tea and cherry juice.
- Take a cool shower.
- Invest in a mattress that supports the body weight.
- Try a breathing pattern to help relax your mind.
- Seek advice on herbal remedies.
