A good night’s sleep is essential for optimal health and overall well-being. It is as important as a healthy diet and regular exercise. According to some research, poor sleep negatively impacts your mood, physical health, and mental health. Moreover, poor sleep also affects your immune system and ability to function normally. In short, poor sleep affects your life in every possible way.
So, getting restorative sleep is one of the most important things for good health. You can do lots of things to fix your disturbed sleep cycle. Although most people don’t pay attention to their sleep patterns and sleep habits. But you must know quality sleep is one of the best things you can do for your good health.
Every single person has suffered from poor sleep once in his lifetime. And, it is normal to have occasional sleep disturbances. Because getting quality sleep every single night is not practical. You go through many situations the whole day and some of them may affect your sleep. But the problem starts when occasional sleep disturbances become frequent.
So, this article is a complete guide to sleep disorders and how they affect your life. Along with that, you will learn the symptoms of poor sleep and when to see the doctor. And, at last, we will explore different methods to get quality sleep.
Types of sleep disorders and their effects on your life
Sleep disorders are medical conditions due to which you are unable to get quality sleep. Sometimes even after sleeping for 7-8 hours, you don’t feel refreshed and energetic in the morning. So, it is not always the quantity that matters. Both quantity and quality of sleep are important to stay healthy. Many people suffer from several sleep disorders which are:
- insomnia
- sleep apnea
- narcolepsy
- restless legs syndrome
- parasomnias
- Circadian rhythm disorders like shift work disorder
How do sleep disorders affect your life?
Quality and adequate sleep are crucial for your body and mind to function well. So, poor sleep has plenty of health consequences and many more. Sleep deprivation leads to fatigue, lethargy, irritation, and overall disturbance. It affects your immune system and ability to fight against infections. Moreover, it affects your heart health and mental health as well.
Poor sleep affects your memory and other cognitive functions. It can affect your performance and productivity at school, college, or the workplace. Not only this, poor sleep affects your personal life and relationships as well. Poor sleep affects every aspect of your life and if it lasts long makes life miserable. So, it is very important to deal with these sleep disorders and get better sleep.
Best tips to get a good night’s sleep
The long-term effects of sleep deprivation and poor sleep are very scary. But the good thing is that you can manage sleep deprivation and get better sleep. Here are some tips to get quality sleep at night:
Take time to relax
Most people suffer from stress-induced sleep disturbances. Taking a warm shower, reading a book, or listening to soothing music can help you manage stress and sleep well. Along with that, aromatherapy and a cup of warm milk before bedtime can also help.
Follow a sleep routine
Having a sleep routine can help you sleep and wake up at the right time daily. Because it fixes your circadian rhythm which regulates your sleep-wake cycle.
Reduce the blue light exposure at bedtime
Avoid using smartphones, TVs, laptops, and computers at bedtime. Because they emit blue light which suppresses the production of melatonin.
Create a restful environment in the bedroom
Your bedroom environment plays a major role in the sleep quality. Keep the bedroom neat and clean, dark and quiet. Along with that, make sure the bedding is comfortable and the room temperature is low.
Foods and drinks to avoid
Spicy and junk food, heavy meals, and sugary food items take time to metabolize. Along with these, avoid caffeinated drinks and alcohol after the evening. Because all these things will not let you sleep. This will affect both the quality and quantity of sleep.
Get regular exercise
Physical activity keeps your body and mind healthy. It is good for maintaining a healthy sleep cycle as well. But avoid vigorous exercise at least 2-3 hours before going to bed.
Embrace sunlight
Exposure to sunlight is crucial for regulating the circadian rhythm. It regulates every function including the sleep-wake cycle. Moreover, sunlight throws away excessive drowsiness and prevents daytime sleeping.
Medications to deal with sleep disorders for better sleep
Along with lifestyle tips, sleep medications can also help in treating sleep disorders. Several over-the-counter and prescription sleep medicines are available in the market.
Over-the-counter (OTC) sleep medicines: Most of these medicines have antihistamines as the main ingredient. Although antihistamines mainly treat allergies. But they also help in inducing sleep. These medicines are not addictive. But people easily develop tolerance to them. So, after a certain time, they don’t work as effectively as earlier. Some most commonly used OTC sleep medicines are doxylamine, diphenhydramine, melatonin, etc.
Prescription sleep medications: Benzodiazepines and z-drugs are the most commonly used prescription sleep medicines. These are sedative hypnotics that work great for all sleep disorders. Benzodiazepines have higher side effects and risks of addiction. That’s why, doctors suggest taking zolpidem and zopiclone for quality sleep. Although they have very little chance of addiction, dependance, or tolerance. But still, you should use them only as a short-term treatment for sleep issues.
Always consult the doctor before taking any medicine. Because you don’t know whether the medicine is good for you or not. Moreover, these medicines may show serious side effects if taken carelessly. It is important to discuss your issues and concerns with the doctor. This will help the doctor to choose the best treatment option for you.
The doctor may recommend using sleep medications all alone or in combination with other methods. But remember, medicines are not a permanent treatment for sleep disorders. Sleep medications can help you with sleep disorders for a short time. But in the long run, lifestyle modifications, are the best to improve sleep quality.
When to see a doctor for sleep disorders
It is important to seek professional help if you are facing sleep related issues. You must visit the sleep expert and discuss the issues you are going through. Most people don’t consult their issues with the doctor and start taking medicines on their own. It is not right to do so as this may lead to severe complications. Now, the question is what is the right time to see the doctor?
If the sleep disturbances are occasional, nothing to worry about. You will get back to the normal sleep routine after a few days. But if you are getting poor sleep more often, it’s time to go to the website and pick up the medication you require, like zopiclone 7.5mg, zopiclone 10mg, and zolpidem 10 mg. Buy Zopiclone 7.5 mg online is a generally recommended sleep disorder treatment.
The sleep expert will ask you some questions related to your sleep-wake patterns. Inform the doctor if you are taking any other medicines or having any stressors. seeking professional help is very necessary to deal with sleep-related issues. Because sleep is very important to live a healthy and quality life. So, make sleep a priority and try the above-mentioned tips to get quality sleep.
