Do not go to bed with your phone!
Insomnia, defined as difficulty in falling asleep and staying asleep, is a very common disorder in society. Contrary to popular belief, quality sleep is not dependent on sleep duration.
If you sleep constantly during the day, treatment is necessary!
Even those who do not experience insomnia from time to time person is rare. In order for insomnia to be defined as a disease, it must continue for a certain period of time and interfere with the person's daily life activities and academic-social life. For example, if a person suffering from insomnia constantly dozes off during the day because he cannot sleep at night, there is a condition that needs to be treated.
The quality of sleep does not depend on its duration
Situations such as excessive daytime sleepiness, sleep maintenance disorder, excessive waking up, not being able to wake up rested, and excessive dreaming may also be indicators of deterioration in sleep quality. Contrary to popular belief, it is not very dependent on the quality and duration of sleep. While some people can only get enough sleep after 12 hours of sleep, some people may only need 4-5 hours of sleep. If a person can wake up well-rested and continue his daily activities in a healthy manner, a short sleep duration does not mean that there is a disease.
Psychiatric diseases are not independent of sleep.
On the contrary, insomnia is quite common in depressed individuals. Anxiety disorder may also appear as insomnia during the day. In some cases, it may not be easy to distinguish whether a sleep disorder is caused by a psychiatric disease or a psychiatric disease by a sleep disorder. For this reason, an extensive history should be taken from all patients presenting with sleep disorders, including past sleep habits, medication use, and psychiatric history.
What are the factors that cause sleep problems?
The most common situation we encounter is insomnia. Difficulty falling asleep is often a reason for patients to consult a physician. The most common causes of insomnia are excessive stimulant consumption, technology addiction, excessive napping during the day, and psychiatric diseases. Restless legs syndrome is another important disorder that manifests itself with restlessness in the legs, especially in the evening hours, and causes insomnia. In addition, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is a condition characterized by excessive snoring and stopping breathing during sleep. Not being able to breathe comfortably at night disrupts sleep quality and causes excessive sleepiness during the day. Another problem we encounter during sleep is parasomnias. Diseases such as sleep talking, sleepwalking and shaking can be counted in this group. Although these diseases, especially seen in childhood, are generally benign, they can worry parents.
The light emitted by devices changes the brain's sleep cycle
Technology use is especially a cause of insomnia. is coming out. Using tablets and smartphones in bed can prolong the time it takes for people of all ages to fall asleep. The light emitted by these types of devices changes the sleep-wake cycle of the brain and can disrupt the body rhythm. In terms of sleep hygiene, it is necessary to avoid the use of technological devices late at night and in bed. Another habit that we frequently see in young individuals and students and that causes sleep disorders is digital game addiction. Some individuals may disrupt their sleep-wake rhythm by playing digital games until late at night. This situation may manifest itself as excessive tiredness during the day and a decrease in academic success.
If you can't fall asleep at night, avoid naps
For sleep hygiene, we usually spend more time in bed than before. Before falling asleep, we need to stay away from high light, noise and technological devices, especially social media.
Again, it is important for sleep hygiene not to eat or drink heavy foods, not to consume stimulants containing caffeine, alcohol or cigarettes in the hours close to sleep. The quality of the environment we sleep in and the comfort of the pillow and bed are also important for a quality sleep. Napping during the day, called naps, is a habit that some people like very much. However, if you have trouble falling asleep at night, sleep during the day. Naps should be avoided.
What treatment methods are used for sleep problems?
For example; If depression causes insomnia, this disorder must first be treated. If there is inability to sleep due to sleep hygiene disorder, the sleep problem can be resolved with some simple lifestyle changes. Some of our patients require medication to make it easier to fall asleep. When there is a suspicion of a disease that fundamentally disrupts sleep quality, such as sleep apnea, the patient must be hospitalized in a sleep laboratory for one night and undergo a sleep test called polysomnography. At the end of this test, the type of sleep apnea can be understood and a targeted treatment can be given. Especially if children have a situation such as screaming in their sleep, having nightmares, walking in their sleep, or talking, it is necessary to perform a sleep electroencephalography examination to understand whether a sleep disorder or a disease such as epilepsy is causing this situation.
Read: 0
