Signs and symptoms of sleep disorders

Everyone knows how important sleep is especially after a long night of tossing and turning. What you may not know is that lack of sleep can be damaging to your health over time. If you're suffering from one of several sleep disorders it can have a significant effect on your overall health and quality of life.

Effects of sleep deprivation

The American Psychiatric Association detailed some of the effects of not getting enough sleep including irritability mood changes disinhibition and fatigue. Continuing to go without sleep can worsen these symptoms as well as cause mental slowness emotional flatness apathy and difficulty remembering. In extreme sleep deprivation a person will have microsleeps brief periods of sleep inability to concentrate on tasks and hallucinations.

Health problems caused by lack of sleep

Quality sleep is extremely important to our well-being especially our physical health. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) sleep helps our memory learning and ability to make good decisions. It also contributes to the healing of cardiovascular tissue where poor sleep can be a factor in cardiovascular problems like heart attacks kidney disease and strokes.

Also the NIH explained that due to sleep deprivation's effect on judgment and decision-making people who are overly tired are more likely to fall asleep while doing important tasks like driving resulting in devastating - potentially fatal - accidents.

Signs you may have a sleep disorder

Daytime sleepiness difficulty falling asleep waking up too early and not being able to go back to sleep and excessive snoring are hallmark signs of sleep disorders. Reliance on caffeine irritability and moodiness are also symptoms of a problem with sleep.

If you or your loved ones have symptoms of a sleep disorder please discuss them with your primary care provider or contact the accredited Reid Sleep Disorder Center for more information at (765) 983-7966.

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