7 Sleep Disorders and How To Treat Them

Many of us don’t get as much sleep as we should. Between work, school, relationships, hobbies, errands, chores, and our social lives, there’s no time for a full night’s rest. 

One-third of American adults report a lack of sleep, and students get even less. This lack of proper sleep can bloom into a serious health issue. 

If you’re suffering from poor sleep, it’s time to find out if a sleep disorder is to blame.

At The Spine and Sports Center in Houston and Sugarland, Texas, our board-certified sleep medicine specialist Dr. Ed Benny can help you find out if your sleep issues are caused by a recognized sleep disorder and, if so, which type is to blame. 

Seven common sleep disorders

Sleep disorder is a broad term that covers all kinds of sleep disturbances. Insomnia and narcolepsy are nearly opposite conditions, but they are both classified as sleep disorders. 

We have extensive experience with all of the most common sleep disorders, including: 

1. Sleep apnea, which causes breathing issues during sleep 
2. Hypersomnia, or daytime sleepiness 
3. Restless leg syndrome, which causes unpleasant sensations in your legs
4. Circadian rhythm disorders, or abnormal sleep cycles 
5. Insomnia, where you have trouble falling asleep (and staying asleep)
6. Narcolepsy, which causes extreme sleepiness or “sleep attacks”
7. Movement disorders like sleep-walking, sleep-talking, and other parasomnias

While most cases can be diagnosed as one of the above, every person is unique and the “sleep disorder” umbrella contains many different conditions. Some people even have multiple sleep disorders affecting them at the same time. 

Symptoms of sleep disorders 

Your symptoms vary depending on what sleep disorder you’re experiencing, but many of these conditions have symptoms in common. This is why it’s important to seek help from a sleep expert to determine exactly what’s wrong. 

Common symptoms of sleep disorders include: 

• Waking up multiple times throughout the night
• Feeling persistently sleepy during the day 
• Your bed partner reporting jerking movements while you sleep
• Having trouble moving when you first wake up 
• Taking more than 30 minutes to fall asleep every night
• Experiencing odd sensations in your arms and legs while in bed
• Your partner or sleep app reporting loud gasps, choking, and snoring

Long-term effects of poor sleep can lead to further issues, including: 

• Irritability 
• Poor performance at work or school 
• Lack of concentration, or “brain fog” 
• Mental health decline, including depression and anxiety 
• Weight gain 
• Conflicts with bed partners 

Once we’ve diagnosed the issue, you can receive proper treatment. 

How sleep disorders are treated 

During your consultation, we’ll ask about your sleeping habits, lifestyle, and when your sleep disturbances began. From there, we can run diagnostic tests to pin down exactly what’s wrong. 

You might need polysomnography, or a sleep study. This gives us a chance to observe your symptoms and collect data.   

Your treatment depends entirely on what sleep disorder you’re experiencing. You might need special medication, a CPAP machine, or lifestyle changes to alleviate the symptoms of your sleep disorder. 

Are you struggling with poor sleep? Bothering your bedmate? The longer this problem goes on, the worse it will be for your health. To schedule a consultation for sleep disorders, get in touch with The Spine and Sports Center by calling the location closest to you, or book an appointment online today.