Sleep Disturbances

Sleep disorders are common conditions that involve difficulties falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up. Sleep disorders may develop as a result of changes in the brain regions and neurotransmitters, stress, anxiety, depression, poor sleep habits or many other possible causes. By not getting sufficient sleep at night, many people are affected during the day and may have difficulty completing their everyday activities.

The most common sleep disorder is insomnia, which is the inability to get sufficient sleep to feel rested. In most cases, insomnia is a symptom of another problem, or is a result of lifestyle choices, such as inactivity and medicating.

Another common sleep condition is sleep apnea, a disorder in which a person’s upper airway becomes obstructed, resulting in a temporary cessation of breathing during sleep. This condition can result in weight gain, low testosterone, hypertension, refractory headaches or migraines, lung disease and heart failure. Sleep conditions also include snoring, narcolepsy, and restless legs syndrome, among others.

Age plays a significant role in how much sleep a person needs, where infants generally require 14-15 hours per day, teenagers need 8.5-9 hours per day, and adults require around 7-9 hours per day. Sleep disorders are treated in four different types of ways, including medication, rehabilitation, behavioral and psychotherapeutic treatment, and other somatic treatment.

Additional Expert Sources:
Healthline
National Sleep Foundation
Cleveland Clinic