Ways on controlling/ curing sleep problems such as insomnia etc.

1. SLEEP PROBLEMS
AND
DISTURBANCES
Types, Symptoms, Treatment & Help for
Common Sleep Disorders
Reported by: Jemica G. Ganacia BSA-
2B

2. IS IT A SLEEP DISORDER?
Do you. . .
 feel irritable or sleepy during the day?
 have difficulty staying awake when sitting still,
watching television or reading?
 fall asleep or feel very tired while driving?
 have difficulty concentrating?
 often get told by others that you look tired?
 react slowly?
 have trouble controlling your emotions?
 feel like you have to take a nap almost every day?
 require caffeinated beverages to keep yourself going?
If you answered “yes” to any of the previous questions,
you may have a sleep disorder.

3. THE MOST COMMON TYPE OF
SLEEP DISORDER: INSOMNIA
 Insomnia, the inability to get the amount of
sleep you need to wake up feeling rested
and refreshed, is the most common sleep
complaint. Insomnia is often a symptom of
another problem, such as stress, anxiety,
depression, or an underlying health
condition. It can also be caused by lifestyle
choices, including the medications you take,
lack of exercise, jet lag, or even the amount
of coffee you drink.

4. COMMON SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF
INSOMNIA INCLUDE:
 Difficulty falling asleep at night or getting
back to sleep after waking during the night.
Waking up frequently during the night
Your sleep feels light, fragmented, or
exhausting.
You need to take something (sleeping pills,
nightcap, supplements) in order to get to
sleep.
 Sleepiness and low energy during the day.

5. PUTTING A STOP TO THE PROBLEM OF
SLEEPLESS NIGHTS
 Insomnia takes a toll on your energy, mood,
and ability to function during the day. But
you don’t have to put up with insomnia.
Simple changes to your lifestyle and daily
habits can end sleepless nights.
Solution:
 Never try to sleep, and don't spend extra
time in bed. When you are not sleeping, get
up and do a quiet activity until you feel
drowsy, and then return to bed. Relaxation
exercises or guided-imagery CDs can be
useful sleep aids.

6. OTHER COMMON TYPES OF
SLEEP DISORDERS:
 In addition to insomnia, the most common
sleep disorders are sleep apnea, restless
legs syndrome (RLS), and narcolepsy.

7. SLEEP DISORDER 1: SLEEP APNEA
 Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder in
which your breathing temporarily stops
during sleep due to the blockage of the
upper airways. These pauses in breathing
interrupt your sleep, leading to many
awakenings each hour. While most people
with sleep apnea don’t remember these
awakenings, they might feel exhausted
during the day, irritable and depressed, or
see a decrease in productivity.

8. SLEEP DISORDER 1: SLEEP APNEA
 Sleep apnea is a serious, and potentially
life-threatening, sleep disorder. If you
suspect that you or a loved one may have
sleep apnea, see a doctor right away. Sleep
apnea can be successfully treated with
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure
(CPAP), a mask-like device that delivers a
stream of air while you sleep. Losing weight,
elevating the head of the bed, and sleeping
on your side can also help in cases of mild
to moderate sleep apnea.

9. SYMPTOMS OF SLEEP APNEA INCLUDE:
 Loud, chronic snoring.
 Frequent pauses in breathing during sleep.
 Gasping, snorting, or choking during sleep.
 Feeling exhausted after waking and sleepy
during the day, no matter how much time you
spent in bed.
Waking up with shortness of breath, chest
pains, headaches, nasal congestion, or a dry
throat.

10. SLEEP DISORDER 2: RESTLESS LEGS
SYNDROME (RLS)
 Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a sleep
disorder that causes an almost irresistible
urge to move your legs (or arms). The urge
to move occurs when you’re resting or lying
down and is usually due to uncomfortable,
tingly, aching, or creeping sensations.

11. COMMON SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF
RESTLESS LEGS SYNDROME INCLUDE:
 Uncomfortable sensations deep within the
legs, accompanied by a strong urge to
move them.
 The leg sensations are triggered by rest and
get worse at night.
 The uncomfortable sensations temporarily
get better when you move, stretch, or
massage your legs.
 Repetitive cramping or jerking of the legs
during sleep.

12. SLEEP DISORDER 3: NARCOLEPSY
 Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder that involves
excessive, uncontrollable daytime
sleepiness. It is caused by a dysfunction of
the brain mechanism that controls sleeping
and waking. If you have narcolepsy, you
may have “sleep attacks” while in the middle
of talking, working, or even driving.

13. COMMON SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF
NARCOLEPSY INCLUDE:
 Seeing or hearing things when you’re
drowsy or starting to dream
before you’re fully asleep.
 Suddenly feeling weak or losing control of
your muscles when you’re laughing, angry,
or experiencing other strong emotions.
 Dreaming right away after going to sleep or
having intense dreams.
 Feeling paralyzed and unable to move when
you’re waking up or dozing off.

14. SLEEP PROBLEMS
 Pregnancy
 Reflux
 Nightmares
 Sleep Walking
 Sleep Problems in Children
 Physical Effects on Oversleeping
 Bedwetting
Teeth Grinding
 Sleep Paralysis

15. PREGNANCY
Women often experience sleepless nights
and daytime fatigue in the first and third
trimesters of their pregnancy. During the first
trimester, frequent trips to the bathroom
and morning sickness may disrupt sleep.
Later in pregnancy, vivid dreams and
physical discomfort may prevent deep
sleep. After delivery, the new baby's care or
the mother's postpartum depression may
interrupt sleep.

16. REFLUX
 If someone has gastroesophageal reflux
disease (GERD), stomach acid moves
backward up into the esophagus, producing
the uncomfortable, burning sensation known
as heartburn. GERD symptoms can be
worse when someone is lying down. Even if
someone doesn't notice the feelings of
heartburn during sleep, the discomfort it
causes can still interfere with the sleep
cycle.

17. NIGHTMARES
Most teens have nightmares on occasion.
But frequent nightmares can disrupt sleep
patterns by waking someone during the
night. Some things can trigger more
frequent nightmares, including certain
medications, drugs, or alcohol. Ironically,
sleep deprivation can also be a cause.
 The most common triggers for more
frequent nightmares are emotional, such as
stress or anxiety. If nightmares are
interfering with your sleep, it's a good idea
to talk to a parent, doctor, or counselor.

18. SLEEPWALKING
 Sleepwalking may run in families. It tends to
happen most often when a person is sick,
has a fever, is not getting enough sleep, or
is feeling stress.
 Because most sleepwalkers don't sleepwalk
often, it's not usually a serious problem.
Sleepwalkers tend to go back to bed on
their own and don't usually remember
sleepwalking. (Sleepwalking often happens
during the deeper sleep that takes place
during stages 3 and 4 of the sleep cycle.)

19. TIPS TO PREVENT SLEEPWALKING
There is no known way to absolutely prevent
sleepwalking; however, certain steps can be
taken to minimize one's risk. These include:
 Get adequate sleep.
 Limit stress. Meditate or do relaxation
exercises.
Avoid any kind of stimulation (auditory or
visual) prior to bedtime.

20. TIPS TO PROTECT YOURSELF WHEN
SLEEPWALKING
 These are steps you can take to prevent
harm if and when you do sleepwalk:
 Keep a safe sleeping environment, free of
harmful or sharp objects.
 Sleep in a bedroom on the ground floor, if
possible.
 Lock the doors and windows.
 Cover glass windows with heavy drapes.
 Place an alarm or bell on the bedroom door.

21. MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR SLEEPWALKING
 If sleepwalking is caused by underlying medical
conditions, such as gastroesophageal
reflux, obstructive sleep apnea, seizures, periodic
leg movements, or restless legs syndrome,
sleepwalking episodes should stop once the
underlying medical condition is treated.
 Medications may be necessary if the sleepwalker
is at risk of injury, if sleepwalking causes
significant family disruption or excessive daytime
sleepiness, and when other treatment options
have not worked.

22. OTHER SLEEPWALKING TREATMENT OPTIONS
 Relaxation techniques, mental imagery, and anticipatory
awakenings are the preferred treatment options for long-term
treatment of people with a sleepwalking disorder.
Anticipatory awakenings consist of waking the child or
person approximately 15-20 minutes before the usual
time of a sleepwalking episode, and then keeping him or
her awake through the time during which the episodes
usually occur.
 Relaxation and mental imagery techniques are most
effective when done with the help of an experienced
behavioral therapist or hypnotist.
 Follow-up with your sleep disorders specialist if
symptoms persist, or if injury to self or to others occurs.

23. PHYSICAL SIDE EFFECT OF
OVERSLEEPING
 For people who suffer from hypersomnia,
oversleeping is actually a medical disorder.
The condition causes people to suffer from
extreme sleepiness throughout the day,
which is not usually relieved by napping. It
also causes them to sleep for unusually
long periods of time at night. Many people
with hypersomnia experience symptoms of
anxiety, low energy, and memory problems
as a result of their almost constant need for
sleep.

24. MEDICAL PROBLEMS LINKED TO
OVERSLEEPING CONTINUED...
 Back pain
 Depression
 Heart disease
 Death

25. BEDWETTING
 While bedwetting can be a symptom of an
underlying disease, a large majority of
children who wet the bed have no
underlying disease that explains their
bedwetting

26. TEETH GRINDING (BRUXISM)
 Occasional teeth grinding, medically called
bruxism, does not usually cause harm, but
when teeth grinding occurs on a regular
basis, the teeth can be damaged and other
complications can arise, such as jaw muscle
discomfort or TMJ pain

27. SLEEP PARALYSIS
 Have you ever felt like you were awake but
unable to move? You might have even felt
afraid but could not call for help? This
condition is called sleep paralysis.

28. CIRCADIAN RHYTHM SLEEP
DISORDERS
When your circadian rhythms are disrupted
or thrown off, you may feel groggy,
disoriented, and sleepy at inconvenient
times. Circadian rhythms have been linked
to a variety or sleeping problems and sleep
disorders, including insomnia, jet lag, and
shift work sleep difficulties. Abnormal
circadian rhythms have also been
implicated in depression, bipolar disorder,
and seasonal affective disorder (the winter
blues).

29. JET LAG SLEEPING PROBLEMS
 Jet lag is a temporary disruption in circadian
rhythms that occurs when you travel across
time zones. Symptoms include daytime
sleepiness, fatigue, headache, stomach
problems, and insomnia. The symptoms
typically appear within a day or two after
flying across two or more time zones. The
longer the flight, the more pronounced the
symptoms. The direction of flight also
makes a difference. Flying east tends to
cause worse jet lag than flying west.

30. RESETTING YOUR INTERNAL CLOCK: HOW TO
REDUCE JETLAG
 Switch as rapidly as possible upon arrival. On a long
trip, don’t turn in until it’s bedtime in the new time zone.
For the first day or two, spend as much time outdoors as
possible to let daylight reset your internal clock.
 Use the sun. If you need to wake up earlier in the new
setting (flying west to east), get out in the early morning
sun. If you need to wake up later (flying east to west),
expose yourself to late afternoon sunlight.
 Drink plenty of fluids, but not caffeine or
alcohol. Caffeine and alcohol promote dehydration, which
worsens the physical symptoms of jet lag. They can also
disturb sleep.
 Don’t time-shift. On a brief trip just one or two time zones
away, it may be possible to wake up, eat, and sleep on
home time. If so, schedule appointments for times when
you would be alert at home.

31. SHIFT WORK SLEEPING
PROBLEMS
 Shift work sleep disorder occurs when your work
schedule and your biological clock are out of sync.
In our 24-hour society, many workers have to work
night shifts, early morning shifts, or rotating shifts.
These schedules force you to work when your body
is telling you to go to sleep, and sleep when your
body is signaling you to wake.
 While some people adjust better than others to the
demands of shift work, most shift workers get less
quality sleep than their daytime counterparts. As a
result of sleep deprivation, many shift workers
struggle with sleepiness and mental lethargy on the
job. This cuts into their productivity and puts them
at risk of injury.

32. REDUCE THE IMPACT OF SHIFT WORK ON
SLEEP:
 Take regular breaks and minimize the frequency of
shift changes.
 When changing shifts, request a shift that’s later,
rather than earlier as it’s easier to adjust forward in
time, rather than backward.
 Naturally regulate your sleep-wake cycle by
increasing light exposure at work (use bright lights)
and limiting light exposure when it’s time to sleep.
Avoid TV and computer screens, use blackout
shades or heavy curtains to block out daylight in your
bedroom.
 Consider taking melatonin when it’s time for you to
sleep.

33. DELAYED SLEEP PHASE DISORDER
 Delayed sleep phase disorder is a condition
where your 24-hour cycle of sleep and
wakefulness—your biological clock—is
significantly delayed. As a result, you go to sleep
and wake up much later than other people. For
example, you may not get sleepy until 4 a.m., at
which time you go to bed and sleep soundly until
noon, or at least you would if your daytime
responsibilities didn’t interfere. Delayed sleep
phase disorder makes it difficult for you to keep
normal hours—to make it to morning classes, get
the kids to school on time, or keep a 9-to-5 job.

34.  People with delayed sleep phase disorder are
unable to get to sleep earlier than 2 to 6 a.m. no
matter how hard they try. They struggle to go to
sleep and get up at socially acceptable times.
 When allowed to keep their own hours (such as
during a school break or holiday), they fall into a
regular sleep schedule.
 Delayed sleep phase disorder is most common in
teenagers, and many teens will eventually grow
out of it.
 For those who continue to struggle with a
biological clock that is out of sync, treatments
such as light therapy and chronotherapy can help.
To learn more, schedule an appointment with a
sleep doctor or local sleep clinic.

35. SLEEP PROBLEMS/ DISORDER
SOLUTIONS
KEEP A SLEEP DIARY
A sleep diary is a very useful tool for
identifying sleep disorders and sleeping
problems and pinpointing both day and
nighttime habits that may be contributing to
your difficulties. Keeping a record of your
sleep patterns and problems will also prove
helpful if you eventually find it necessary to
see a sleep doctor.

36. YOUR SLEEP DIARY SHOULD INCLUDE:
 what time you went to bed and woke up
 total sleep hours and perceived quality of your
sleep
 a record of time you spent awake and what you did
(“stayed in bed with eyes closed,” for example, or
“got up, had a glass of milk, and meditated”)
 types and amount of food, liquids, caffeine, or
alcohol you consumed before bed, and times of
consumption
 your feelings and moods before bed (e.g.
happiness, sadness, stress, anxiety)
 any drugs or medications taken, including dose and
time of consumption

37. IMPROVE YOUR SLEEP HYGIENE AND
DAYTIME HABITS
 Keep a regular sleep schedule.
 Set aside enough time for sleep.
Make sure your bedroom is dark, cool, and
quiet.
Turn off your TV, smartphone, iPad, and
computer.
If the word "hygiene" sounds like clean sleep,
it is. And it is a term commonly used among
sleep specialists to indicate setting the
conditions for undisturbed slumber.

38. SLEEP SOLUTION
 The first injunction: The more you worry about it,
the worse it gets. Even thinking about sleep can
cause you to become anxious. Picture the
exhausted would-be sleeper, lying in bed with a
tensed, rigid body, trying to force sweet sleep to
overtake him. It's a contradiction in terms. Sleep
cannot be willed. Often sleep needs to be set apart
from everything else in life.

39. SLEEP SOLUTION
 Try to keep your sleep schedule consistent.
Plan regular hours of sleep time every day.
 Eliminate caffeine and alcohol, particularly at
night.
 Don't exercise or start involving yourself in
highly engaging mental tasks near bedtime.
 Don't go to bed hungry or after eating a large
meal. Eat a light snack before bedtime or
drink a glass of warm milk, which
contains tryptophan, an amino acid that is a
known sleep inducer.

40. SLEEP SOLUTION
 Tell your spouse, bedmate, or yourself a
relaxing bedtime story. My favorite ones are
about my turtle. My wife often asks me to tell
her a turtle story, which usually puts her to
sleep long before I nod off.
 Take a hot bath.
 Make the bedroom a bedroom, a place to
sleep. Don't read or watch TV in bed. Remove
all other stimulants from the bedroom, including
work and bills.
 Don't nap during the day. Confine your sleep to
certain nighttime hours.

41. DO SLEEPING PILLS HELP SLEEP DISORDERS
AND SLEEPING PROBLEMS?
Safety guidelines for sleeping pills
 Only take a sleeping pill when you will have enough time to
get a full seven to eight hours of sleep. Otherwise, you
may be drowsy the next day.
 Read the package insert that comes with your medication.
Pay careful attention to the potential side effects, dosage
instructions, and list of food and substances to avoid.
 Never mix alcohol and sleeping pills. Alcohol disrupts sleep
and can interact dangerously with sleep medications.
 Never drive a car or operate machinery after taking a
sleeping pill, especially when you first start taking a new
sleep aid, as you may not know how it will affect you.

42. WHEN TO CALL A DOCTOR ABOUT
SLEEP DISORDERS
Your main sleep problem is daytime
sleepiness and self-help hasn’t improved
your symptoms.
You or your bed partner gasps, chokes, or
stops breathing during sleep.
You sometimes fall asleep at inappropriate
times, such as while talking, walking, or
eating.

43. WHAT TO EXPECT AT A SLEEP CLINIC
OR CENTER
 If your physician refers you to a sleep center, a
specialist will observe your sleep patterns,
brain waves, heart rate, rapid eye movements
and more using monitoring devices attached to
your body. While sleeping with a bunch of wires
attached to you might seem difficult, most
patients find they get used to it quickly.
 The sleep specialist will analyze the results
from your sleep study and design a treatment
program if necessary. A sleep center can also
provide you with equipment to monitor your
activities (awake and asleep) at home.