Sleep is an essential function that allows your body and mind to recharge, leaving you refreshed and alert when you wake up. While you sleep, your blood pressure goes down, giving your heart and blood vessels a bit of a rest. It also boosts your immune system, prevents weight gain and keeps you in a better mood throughout the day. Yet, 62% of the adults worldwide feel they suffer from sleep disorders. (source: weforum.org). What’s more, losing just one or two hours of sleep per night can have the same impact on motor and cognitive functions as going without sleep for a full day or two.

Why is getting treatment for sleep disorders important?

Not getting the proper amount or quality of sleep leads to more than just feeling tired. Sleepiness interferes with cognitive function, which can lead to learning problems  in children, memory impairment in people of all ages, personality changes and depression.

People who are deprived of sleep experience difficulty making decisions, irritability, have problems with performance, and slower reaction times, placing them at risk for automobile and work-related accidents. Sleep loss can also adversely affect life by contributing to the development of obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

So, what exactly is a sleep disorder?

Sleep disorder means any condition that disturbs your normal sleep pattern. There are about 80 conditions that come under sleep disorders. Some of the major types can be defined as:

1. Insomnia: One of the most common types of sleep disorder, insomnia is a condition where the patient is unable to fall and stay asleep.

2. Hypersomnia: Under this condition, it becomes very difficult to stay awake during the day. It causes extreme daytime sleepiness and can also be a symptom of narcolepsy.

3. Sleep Apnea - A disorder in which breathing is interrupted repeatedly during sleep. Snoring can also be an indication of sleep apnea.

4. Circadian rhythm disorders – This causes problems with the sleep-wake cycle causing the patient to be unable to sleep and wake up at the right time.

5. Parasomnia -  It is a sleep disorder that causes abnormal behavior while sleeping. The patient can act in unusual ways while falling asleep, sleeping, or waking from sleep, such as walking, talking, or eating

What causes a sleep disorder?

There are several causes of sleep disorders, including:

1. Hereditary factors – including a family history of sleep disorders

2. Lifestyle factors – such as Night shifts, smoking, drinking alcohol, use of stimulants including caffeine or being overweight

3. Medical conditions – including nasal obstruction from allergies, enlarged tonsils, airway crowding as well as medical conditions which cause pain like arthritis

4. Psychiatric conditions- sleep disturbance can be a symptom of underlying mental health disorder like depression, anxiety , bipolar disorder or psychosis

5. Situational causes – such as stress and anxiety resulting from a trauma or crisis event at work or home.

6. Aging – may cause people to get less sleep or spend less time in the deep, restful stage of sleep. They are also more easily awakened.

How to identify the symptoms of sleep disorders?

In case you experience one or more situations below on a regular basis, then it is advisable to seek professional help.

1. You are taking more than 30 minutes each night to fall asleep

2. You wake up several times each night and then have trouble falling back to sleep, or you wake up too early in the morning, before schedule.

3. You feel sleepy during the day, take frequent naps, or fall asleep at the wrong times during the day

4. Your bed partner notices that when you sleep, you snore loudly, snort, gasp,or  make choking sounds for short periods

5. You have creeping, tingling, or crawling feelings in your legs or arms that are relieved by moving or massaging them, especially when trying to fall asleep

6. Your bed partner notices sudden abnormal body movements or jerks often during sleep

7. You have vivid, dreamlike experiences while falling asleep or dozing

8. You have episodes of sudden muscle weakness when you are angry or fearful, or when you laugh

9. You feel as though you cannot move when you first wake up

What techniques do our sleep disorder doctors use?

Identifying sleep disorders requires a comprehensive study of your medical history, your sleep history, and a physical exam. You may also need to have a sleep study (polysomnogram). It studies, monitors and records data about your body during sleep. The data includes:

1. Brain wave changes

2. Eye movements

3. Muscular movements

4. Breathing rate

5. Blood pressure

6. Heart rate and electrical activity of the heart .

Why choose us for sleep disorder treatments?

Each patient is different and so should be the treatment. Our health care providers conduct one-on-sessions with the patient, understanding the underlying symptoms causing sleep disorders and suggest the treatment accordingly. The treatment might vary from simple diet changes and exercise routines to cognitive behavioral therapy or relaxation techniques to reduce anxiety.

Want to get in touch with a sleep disorder doctor?

Our experienced doctors and health experts make us the most preferred medical care destination in Dubai.

Feel free to drop us a message on  +971 52 167 7884 or info@zivanza.org