Sleep disorders – causes and treatment

Systematic sleep deprivation is one of the worst methods of torture and shows how important healthy sleep can be for well being. Around a third of our life, we spend sleeping. A time when body and mind are re-sorting and regenerating. Everyone knows the devastating effect of a well-awned night. If something like this occurs in a more frequent or even constant way, there is a sleep disorder. In this article, we'll find out why sleep disturbances occur and what you can do about it.

Consequences of sleep disturbances

Around 15 percent of German citizens suffer from more frequent sleep disorders. Nearly one in three have trouble sleeping at least intermittently. Women tend to be more likely to be affected than men, as are older people more than younger people who are still fully in the profession. A disturbed sleep leads to persistent daytime fatigue, "rattling" and a sense of "standing next to." Drive, performance and life energy are often impaired. And with prolonged problems, signs of exhaustion show. The psyche quickly gets out of balance. Therefore, you shouldn't just ignore disturbed sleep.

Primary and secondary sleep disorders

A sleep disorder in need of treatment is then spoken of if sleep problems persist for more than four weeks. "Sleep Experts" distinguish between primary and secondary disorders. In the case of a primary sleep disorder, no physical or psychological cause is discernible. Often then stress, personal stress or unfavorable external factors are cause for sleep problems. In the case of a secondary sleep disorder, on the other hand, a cause outside of sleep can be identified.

Here are a number of possibilities:

• (Chronic) physical diseases: Many diseases are associated with pain that hinders sleep. But other symptoms of the disease (urination, difficulty breathing, diarrhea) can also permanently disrupt sleep, as can hormonal disorders or neurological diseases;
• Mental illness: Depression, anxiety disorders, psychosis and other mental illnesses are very often associated with a sleep disorder;
• Medications: Some medications are known for their sleep-disrupting side effects;
• Drugs: Alcohol and other drugs almost always mess up the usual sleep rhythm.

What do sleep disturbances show up?

Sleep disorder is not equal to sleep disorder. There are different manifestations:

• Sleep disorder: Often means hours of wake-up lounging until sleep occurs;
• Sleep disorder: First of all, you can get to sleep. However, this is interrupted again and again by more or less longer waking periods. As a result, sleep is superficial and unsustainable. There is a lack of deep sleep;
• Waking up early: Sleeping wakes up after just a few hours without getting back to sleep. One "rolls" into the morning;
• Sleep arrhythm disorder: Here the normal sequence of waking and fatigue phases is disturbed;
• Other disturbances during sleep: There are numerous, for example, respiratory dropouts during sleep, restless legs syndrome (restless legs), sudden sleep during the day (second sleep) and others.

What can you do about sleep disturbances?

Not every sleep disorder needs immediate treatment from the doctor. It is possible to ensure even better "sleep hygiene." This can already be achieved by relatively simple means.

Helpful measures include:

• Plenty of exercise during the day, social contacts and physical activities. They create good fatigue;
• Eating nothing heavy before bed;
• Omitting sleep-disrupting stimulants, alcohol and drugs (anyway);
• A warm full bath before bedtime seems tiresome;
• – provide relaxation through music, relaxation techniques (autogenic training, progressive muscle relaxation, etc.), meditation;
• Practice sleep tutuals;
• Create a pleasant atmosphere in the bedroom (good air and temperature, "mattress and bed culture," "turn off" disturbing sources of noise, do not watch TV in bed);
• Conflicts and stress should not be taken to bed, but should remain "out from it."

The latter, however, is often easier said than done. So it is helpful and more sleacking for problems and challenges to be addressed consistently, rather than putting them "on the back burner."

When should the doctor help?

If "self-therapy" does not lead to the goal and the sleep problems persist after a few weeks, the walk to the doctor is appropriate. The first point of contact is the general practitioner. He may make a referral to the specialist.

How does the doctor proceed?

The doctor will first carry out root cause research in order to be able to develop a therapy. He will try to determine the causes of the sleep disorder and determine its symptoms. He also analyzes sleep patterns and circumstances that affect sleep. Domestic conditions are also the subject of medical history. In addition, a physical examination is called for. It should identify possible diseases as the trigger of a sleep disorder. Sometimes patients are even asked to have "protocol" about their sleep to gain more clarity.

Examination in the sleep laboratory

If the medical examination does not give an indication, a measurement in the sleep laboratory can help. You spend a night in a lab bedroom. During sleep, various measurements are taken – including brain currents, eye movements, and heart and muscle activity. Sleep behavior is also observed. Sometimes video recordings take place for this purpose. Often, on the basis of sleep laboratory measurements, psychological reasons can be assumed as triggers for a sleep disorder.

Treatment with sleeping pills

Sleeping pills seem to promise quick help for sleep disturbances. Their effect is controversial, but there are undisputed possible harmful side effects. Whether sleep aids really lead to a sustainable sleep, rather numb or at most have a placebo effect is the subject of controversial discussion. Nevertheless, in a third of sleep disorders, the doctor prescribes medication. There are different sleep aid therapies: The fixed regulation, the needs therapy (tablet as needed) and the interval therapy (tablet at regular intervals). A different quality have treatments with sedatives or psycho-pharmaceuticals.

Does alternative medicine help?

Classical home remedies such as valerian or hops are quite school medically recognized as sleuthing. Aromatherapy is also popular. Essential oils (lavender, chamomile, bitter orange) are heated in a fragrance lamp. The inhaled vapours have a relaxing effect. Acupuncture and homeopathy, on the other hand, can do little to promote sleep. Bedroom design after feng shui, research for hidden water veins or fight against electro smog – here, faith often counts more than assured knowledge.

What does sleep therapy bring?

There are also behavioural therapeutic approaches that can lead to good sleep. "Sleep therapy" is often recommended in supplementation or enlargement of a drug treatment. It can be targeted at:

• Consciously restricting the function of bed and bedroom to sleeping;
• Introduction of fixed and clearly limited sleep times;
• "Wax exercises" to prevent unsuccessful attempts at falling asleep;
• Mental exercises against dimples, circular thoughts and against the fear of not falling asleep.

Behavioural changes have to be practiced and practiced for longer, but then have a lasting effect. If you can't let sleep disturbances put you out of peace, but work on good and healthy sleep in a price-oriented way, the sleep problem is sooner or later solvable.