Having trouble waking up. 8 Effective Strategies to Overcome Morning Grogginess and Start Your Day Right
Why is it challenging to wake up in the morning. How can you improve your sleep schedule. What lifestyle changes can help you wake up feeling refreshed. How does diet and exercise impact your ability to rise early. When should you consider a sleep study.
Understanding the Struggle: Common Reasons for Morning Drowsiness
Many individuals find themselves grappling with the challenge of waking up in the morning. This struggle isn’t merely about enjoying sleep or disliking early hours; various factors can contribute to this difficulty. Understanding these underlying causes is crucial for addressing the issue effectively.
Several lifestyle factors, medical conditions, and medications can make it hard to rise and shine:
- Parasomnias (e.g., sleepwalking, sleep talking, night terrors)
- Sleep apnea
- Sleep deficiency or deprivation
- Stress and anxiety
- Depression
- Circadian rhythm sleep disorders
- Certain medications (e.g., beta blockers, muscle relaxants, antidepressants)
- Chronic pain
Recognizing these potential causes can help you pinpoint the root of your morning drowsiness and take appropriate steps to address it.
Establishing a Consistent Sleep Schedule: The Foundation of Better Mornings
One of the most effective ways to train yourself to wake up in the morning is by establishing a consistent sleep schedule. This involves going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends and days off.
How much sleep do you need? The recommended range for adults is typically between seven to nine hours per night. To determine your ideal sleep duration, pay attention to how you feel after different amounts of sleep and adjust accordingly.
Once you’ve identified your optimal sleep duration, work backwards from your desired wake-up time to establish a consistent bedtime. Stick to this schedule rigorously, and over time, your body will naturally begin to wake up at the desired time.
The Science Behind Sleep Schedules
Consistent sleep schedules work by aligning your body’s internal clock, or circadian rhythm, with your daily routine. This synchronization helps regulate various physiological processes, including hormone production and body temperature fluctuations, which play crucial roles in your sleep-wake cycle.
Optimizing Your Bedtime Routine for Quality Sleep
Your bedtime routine plays a significant role in determining the quality of your sleep and, consequently, how easily you wake up in the morning. Many people unknowingly sabotage their sleep through seemingly harmless habits.
To improve your bedtime routine, consider the following recommendations:
- Avoid caffeine consumption within six hours of bedtime
- Limit exposure to blue light from electronic devices before bed
- Engage in relaxing activities such as reading or taking a warm bath
- Avoid napping or spending excessive time in bed during the day
- Limit alcohol consumption before bedtime
By implementing these changes, you can create a more conducive environment for restful sleep, making it easier to wake up refreshed in the morning.
The Snooze Button Dilemma: Why It’s Counterproductive
While hitting the snooze button may seem like a harmless way to grab a few extra minutes of sleep, it can actually have negative effects on your morning alertness and overall sleep quality.
Falling back asleep after initially waking up is a form of sleep fragmentation. Research has shown that this fragmentation can lead to increased daytime sleepiness, decreased performance, and a general feeling of grogginess.
How can you break the snooze button habit? One effective strategy is to place your alarm clock or phone away from your bed, forcing you to physically get up to turn it off. This simple act of getting out of bed can help jumpstart your morning and make it less tempting to fall back asleep.
Fueling Your Body: The Role of Nutrition in Morning Alertness
Your diet plays a crucial role in both your sleep quality and your ability to wake up feeling energized. A well-balanced diet can increase your energy levels and promote better sleep, while unhealthy food choices can leave you feeling sluggish and fatigued.
To optimize your diet for better mornings, focus on incorporating the following:
- Fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins and minerals
- Whole grains for sustained energy
- Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish and nuts
- Lean proteins to support muscle recovery and overall health
Is timing important when it comes to eating for better sleep? Indeed, it is. Try to avoid heavy meals close to bedtime, as digestion can interfere with your ability to fall asleep. Instead, opt for a light snack if you’re hungry in the evening.
The Power of Exercise: Boosting Energy and Improving Sleep
Regular physical activity is a powerful tool for improving both your sleep quality and your ability to wake up feeling refreshed. Exercise has been shown to have numerous benefits related to sleep and overall energy levels:
- Improved sleep quality
- Reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression, which can interfere with sleep
- Increased daytime energy levels
- Reduced fatigue, even in individuals with chronic fatigue conditions
How much exercise do you need to reap these benefits? The World Health Organization recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week for adults.
Timing Your Workouts for Optimal Sleep
While exercise is generally beneficial for sleep, the timing of your workouts can make a difference. For most people, exercising too close to bedtime can interfere with falling asleep. Aim to finish your workout at least a few hours before bed to allow your body time to wind down.
Harnessing the Power of Light: How Daylight Affects Your Sleep-Wake Cycle
Exposure to natural daylight plays a crucial role in regulating your circadian rhythms and improving your sleep-wake cycle. Sunlight exposure, particularly in the morning, can help boost your mood and energy levels for the rest of the day.
To harness the power of light for better mornings, try the following strategies:
- Open your blinds as soon as you wake up
- Have your morning coffee outside or near a sunny window
- Take a short walk in the morning to combine light exposure with physical activity
- Consider sleeping with your blinds open to wake up naturally with the sunrise (if light pollution isn’t an issue)
What if you live in an area with limited natural light? In such cases, light therapy devices or light-up alarm clocks can simulate natural light and help regulate your circadian rhythm.
When to Seek Professional Help: The Role of Sleep Studies
If you’ve consistently struggled with waking up in the morning despite implementing lifestyle changes, it may be time to consult a healthcare professional. Persistent difficulty in waking up could be a sign of an underlying sleep disorder or other medical condition.
A sleep study, also known as a polysomnogram, can help diagnose various sleep disorders that may be contributing to your morning fatigue. During a sleep study, various physiological parameters are monitored while you sleep, including:
- Brain activity
- Eye movements
- Heart rate and rhythm
- Breathing patterns
- Blood oxygen levels
- Limb movements
How do you know if you need a sleep study? Consider talking to your doctor about a referral to a sleep specialist if you experience any of the following:
- Persistent difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Loud snoring or gasping for air during sleep (as reported by a partner)
- Unexplained fatigue despite getting adequate sleep
A sleep specialist can interpret the results of your sleep study and recommend appropriate treatments if a sleep disorder is diagnosed. These treatments may include lifestyle modifications, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, or medical interventions such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy for sleep apnea.
Beyond Sleep Disorders: Other Medical Considerations
In some cases, difficulty waking up in the morning may be related to other medical conditions or medications. Conditions such as thyroid disorders, chronic fatigue syndrome, or certain mental health disorders can all impact your energy levels and sleep patterns.
If you suspect an underlying medical condition may be contributing to your morning grogginess, it’s important to discuss your concerns with your healthcare provider. They can perform necessary tests and evaluations to identify any underlying issues and recommend appropriate treatments.
Implementing Change: Creating a Personalized Morning Wake-Up Strategy
Armed with an understanding of the factors that influence your ability to wake up in the morning, it’s time to create a personalized strategy for improving your mornings. Remember that change takes time, and it may take several weeks for your body to adjust to new routines.
Here’s a step-by-step approach to implementing your wake-up strategy:
- Determine your ideal sleep duration and set a consistent sleep schedule
- Optimize your bedroom environment for sleep (e.g., comfortable temperature, minimal noise and light)
- Establish a relaxing bedtime routine
- Position your alarm clock away from your bed
- Plan for morning light exposure
- Prepare healthy breakfast options in advance
- Schedule regular exercise, preferably earlier in the day
- Monitor your progress and adjust as needed
How can you stay motivated during this process? Consider keeping a sleep diary to track your progress and identify patterns. Celebrate small victories, such as successfully avoiding the snooze button for a week, to maintain motivation.
The Role of Technology in Wake-Up Strategies
While excessive use of technology before bed can interfere with sleep, certain technological tools can be helpful in improving your wake-up routine. Some options to consider include:
- Smart alarm apps that monitor your sleep cycles and wake you during lighter stages of sleep
- Light therapy lamps or sunrise simulation alarm clocks
- Wearable devices that track sleep patterns and provide insights into your sleep quality
- Meditation or relaxation apps to help you wind down before bed
When incorporating technology into your routine, be mindful of potential drawbacks such as blue light exposure or the temptation to check your phone in the middle of the night. Use these tools thoughtfully to support, rather than hinder, your sleep goals.
Maintaining Long-Term Success: Adapting to Life’s Changes
As you work to improve your ability to wake up in the morning, it’s important to recognize that life’s circumstances can change. Factors such as travel, shift work, or major life events can disrupt even the most well-established routines.
How can you maintain your progress in the face of change? The key is to remain flexible and adapt your strategies as needed. Here are some tips for maintaining long-term success:
- When traveling across time zones, gradually adjust your sleep schedule in the days leading up to your trip
- If you work rotating shifts, try to maintain as consistent a sleep schedule as possible on your days off
- During stressful periods, prioritize self-care and sleep hygiene to support your overall well-being
- Regularly reassess your sleep needs and adjust your routine as necessary
Remember that improving your ability to wake up in the morning is an ongoing process. Be patient with yourself and celebrate the progress you make along the way.
The Ripple Effect: How Better Mornings Improve Overall Quality of Life
As you implement these strategies and begin to experience easier, more energized mornings, you may notice positive effects in other areas of your life. Improved sleep and morning routines can lead to:
- Enhanced productivity and focus throughout the day
- Better emotional regulation and stress management
- Improved physical health and immune function
- More time for personal interests and relationships
- A greater sense of control over your daily life
By investing in your sleep habits and morning routine, you’re not just making it easier to get out of bed – you’re setting the foundation for a more balanced, fulfilling life.
In conclusion, overcoming the struggle to wake up in the morning is a multifaceted process that involves understanding the underlying causes, implementing lifestyle changes, and sometimes seeking professional help. By addressing factors such as sleep schedules, bedtime routines, nutrition, exercise, and light exposure, you can significantly improve your ability to wake up feeling refreshed and energized. Remember that change takes time, and it’s important to be patient and consistent in your efforts. With persistence and the right strategies, you can transform your mornings and set a positive tone for the rest of your day.
8 Tips to Train Yourself to Wake Up in the Morning
If your constant use of the snooze button and your morning zombie routine is getting old, there’s help. It begins with figuring out the different reasons why you can’t wake up in the morning and what to do about them.
Chances are you’re not getting enough sleep and need to tweak your bedtime routine. If a sleep disorder or other underlying condition is to blame for your morning sleepiness, there are treatments available.
We’ll cover all of that and more here so you can become one of those perky morning people.
Difficulty getting up in the morning isn’t just about loving your sleep and hating mornings. Lifestyle factors, medical conditions, and medications can make it hard to wake up. These include:
- parasomnias, such as sleepwalking, sleep talking, and night terrors
- sleep apnea, which causes periods of stopped breathing during sleep
- sleep deficiency, which can involve not getting good quality sleep, or sleep deprivation, which is not getting enough sleep
- stress and anxiety, which can interfere with your ability to fall asleep or stay asleep
- depression, which has been linked to excessive daytime sleepiness and insomnia
- circadian rhythm sleep disorders, which can prevent you from developing a regular sleep routine, such as shift work sleep disorder and irregular sleep-wake disorder
- certain medications, including beta blockers, certain muscle relaxants, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants
- chronic pain, which can make it difficult to get a good night’s sleep
There are a number of things you can do to help you wake up. If an underlying condition is causing your excessive sleepiness or drowsiness in the morning, you may need a combination of home remedies and medical treatment.
The following are tips and treatments that can help you sleep better and wake up better.
Get on a sleep schedule
Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day is a must if you want to get on a good sleep schedule and train yourself to wake up early.
Figure out how much sleep you need — seven to nine hours per night is recommended — and aim to get to bed early enough so you wake up feeling refreshed.
Stick to your sleep schedule every day, including your days off, and your body will eventually begin waking up naturally.
Improve your bedtime routine
You may be sabotaging your efforts to get up early without even realizing it. Drinking caffeine in the later part of the day and using devices that emit blue light before bed can prevent you from falling asleep.
To improve your bedtime routine, try doing something relaxing before bed, such as reading or taking a warm bath. Avoid activities that’ve been shown to interfere with your circadian rhythm and cause sleeplessness, including:
- looking at screens, like your laptop or phone
- drinking caffeine within six hours before bedtime
- napping or spending too much time in bed during the day
- drinking alcohol before bed
Move your alarm to avoid hitting snooze
Tempting as that snooze button and getting “just a few more minutes” may be, falling back asleep after waking is sleep fragmentation.
According to research, sleep fragmentation increases daytime sleepiness and grogginess, decreases performance, and makes you feel run-down.
If you’re accustomed to hitting snooze, try moving your alarm away from your bed so you have to get up to turn it off.
Eat better
Eating a healthy diet increases your energy and helps you sleep better. On the flip side, foods that are generally considered unhealthy can make you feel sluggish and zap your energy.
Aim for a well-balanced diet full of foods that increase your energy, like fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and foods high in omega-3 fatty acids.
Get regular exercise
Exercise has been proven to improve sleep and conditions that can cause insomnia and excessive sleepiness, such as anxiety and depression.
It also increases energy levels by reducing fatigue, including in people with conditions associated with chronic fatigue, according to research.
Enjoy the daylight
Daylight helps regulate your circadian rhythms and improve your sleep.
If you get some sun first thing in the morning, it can help boost your mood and energy levels for the rest of the day. Try opening your blinds as soon as you get up, having your coffee outside, or going for a short walk.
You could also try sleeping with your blinds open so you wake up to sunshine — that is, as long as it’s not too bright outside your bedroom window at night.
Gloomy day? No worries. Just turn on the lights or use a light-up alarm clock.
Get a sleep study
If you can’t get up in the mornings after trying other methods or have noticed sleep disorder warning signs, talk to a doctor about a referral to a sleep specialist.
Participating in a sleep study can help diagnose a sleep disorder that may be to blame for your morning fatigue.
Treat a sleep disorder
If you’re diagnosed with a sleep disorder, such as chronic insomnia or restless leg syndrome (RLS), treatment can help you sleep and wake up better. Treatment depends on the specific sleep disorder and might include:
- prescription drugs, such as sleep aids or medication for RLS
- melatonin
- a breathing device for obstructive sleep apnea
- behavioral therapy
- surgery for obstructive sleep apnea
Having trouble waking up in the morning is just one sign you’re not getting enough sleep. Here are some others:
- excessive yawning
- irritability
- lack of motivation
- fatigue
- excessive daytime sleepiness
- brain fog
- increased appetite
It’s possible to train yourself to wake up on time in the morning. A few changes to your routine can help you get rid of your morning fatigue so you can be up and at ’em bright and early.
If you worry that you have a sleep disorder or other medical condition that may be contributing to your morning fatigue, see a doctor.
When You Have Trouble Waking Up
Is it so hard to fall asleep you can’t wake up in the morning? Here’s how to embrace your inner early bird.
Written by Jennifer Dixon
- Sleep Phase Disorders
- How to Wake Up More Easily
Brian Cyphers has always had trouble falling asleep at a “normal” hour. A few years ago, when the 24-year-old Chicagoan was dozing off between 3 and 5 in the morning and had to wake up at 6:30 to get to his job as a data entry clerk at a lab, he knew it was time to seek help.
Cyphers sought assistance from Lisa Shives, MD, medical director of Northshore Sleep Medicine in Evanston, Ill., and a specialist in sleep disorders. Shives frequently sees patients who want to alter their night owl ways. “People can modify their sleep patterns, but it’s not easy,” Shives says. Being a “morning” vs. “night” person is so ingrained in one’s nature that Shives sometimes tells late-nighters to seek careers with delayed start times.
The reason Shives’ job is so difficult might lie in our genes. Two sleep disorders — advanced sleep phase syndrome, which causes bedtimes of between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., and delayed sleep phase, where patients fall asleep between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. — are both often inherited. Advanced sleep phase is less common, affecting less than 1% of middle-aged and older adults. As for delayed sleep phase syndrome, researchers don’t know how many people have it, but (to name one group of people) 7% to 16% of young adults do, according to the International Classification of Sleep Disorders.
The greater incidence of delayed sleep phase may explain why night owls seek help more often than larks — there are simply more of them. In addition, their shut-eye patterns frequently interrupt normal school or work schedules because their late bedtimes cause difficulty waking up at an appropriate hour.
Beyond genes, sleep patterns are influenced by a strong biological pull. The body’s circadian rhythm dictates what time a person falls asleep and wakes up, and that can be very difficult to change. “Normally, I can help them a bit,” Shives says. “If patients are going to bed at 4 in the morning, I’m not going to get them to 11 p.m. But I can roll them back to 1 or 2 a.m., and that generally makes them pretty happy.”
And 1 a.m. to 2 a.m. is Cyphers’ new bedtime, too — not optimal, but an improvement nonetheless. “I don’t feel like I can take on the world every day, but I do feel better,” he says.
Want to become more of a lark? Sleep disorder specialist Lisa Shives, MD, has some suggestions for embracing your inner morning person:
Move your bedtime back by 15 minutes every three to four days. On these days, also wake up 15 minutes earlier. Adhere to this plan seven days a week (not just weekdays) until you’re falling asleep at — or close to — the desired hour.
Get sunlight. Natural sunlight helps reset your circadian clock. If you are a night owl, set your alarm for 7 a.m. and get outside for 30 minutes to have breakfast or to walk the dog. Also, keep your shades open so your room fills with light in the morning to help you wake up.
Shut off electronic media or bright lights two hours before bedtime.
Take 0.5 to 1 milligram of melatonin before you want to go to bed; this will help set your circadian rhythm so you can fall asleep at a more appropriate time. Ask a sleep specialist when you should take it.
If these methods don’t work, speak to a sleep specialist. Night owls, like shift workers, might have increased risk of diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and certain cancers. One option you can ask your doctor about is light therapy. This treatment allows you to get light from a small light box to help reset your body clock, without medication.
Above all, remember that these steps are difficult and require discipline, so you really must want to change your sleep patterns.
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Can’t get out of bed? You may have disania
Image Credit, Getty Images
You may not think there are many reasons to get out of bed. It’s warm in there, it’s cold outside, and you can get rid of the problem by simply pressing the “Stop” button on your alarm clock.
On October 28, the clock was moved back one hour again. Leaving your cocoon has become even more difficult, as this moment marks the beginning of winter and means that in just a few weeks you will have to wake up when it is still dark outside.
- Changing the clock: what doctors advise
- Is it worth accustoming yourself to wake up early?
But what if the problem is much more serious and you find it difficult to get out of bed at all, and not just during such periods? There is a special word for this: disania.
“The term dysania is sometimes used to describe the experience called ‘I don’t want to get out of bed today’,” says Dr. Mark Selter of the Royal College of Psychiatry. from depressive disorders,” he adds.
Dysnia, which has not yet been officially recognized as a disease, is not only an increased feeling of drowsiness. This is a chronic inability to get out of bed.
Such “sick people” can stay in bed for several days: the mere thought of getting up already causes them anxiety. Many admit that they experience a “passionate desire” to get back into bed – they just have to try to get out of it.
It is important to know that you are unlikely to ever be diagnosed with dysnia on its own. This is usually a symptom that indicates possible depression or chronic fatigue syndrome.
To understand if someone you know is suffering from dysania or klinomania – a similar term that describes the desire to stay in bed all day – Dr. Selter advises first to make sure that such people are doing well with physical well-being.
Image copyright Getty Images
After that, he will ask the patient what exactly is bothering him. Such a conversation may end with a diagnosis of depression. It is this that often causes a range of effects that manifest themselves in physical well-being, says Selter.
“Sleep disturbances, lethargy, early awakenings are all physical signs of depression,” he adds. a glass of water. ”
If there are no other symptoms, this may mean that such people are simply afraid to get out of bed. In this case, it is not the same as disania.
If you’re not sure if your sleepiness is normal, try changing your habits.
First, try to keep track of how much sleep you get. Most adults need 6-9 hours of sleep. Feeling relaxed is also key – try taking a bath or doing some yoga asanas, for example.
Keep distracting objects, such as phones and laptops, away from you. And finally, if all this does not help, you can try to have sex – unlike all other types of physical activity, this will definitely increase your drowsiness.
If this is not enough and your inability to wake up is causing you stress and anxiety, you should see a doctor.
Of course, you can justify everything as simple laziness, but you can’t be sure until you check it.
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Causes and symptoms of disturbed sleep patterns
Most people experience some kind of sleep problem from time to time. But when these problems become a familiar part of everyday life, this is already a serious reason to think and turn to a specialist.
Sleep is one of the health indicators. People who do not suffer from any disease usually sleep well, while those who experience recurring or persistent sleep problems are more likely to have psychological or physical impairments that can be either minor or serious.
It is worth even one day to sleep badly – and this affects the mood, performance, stress resistance. And when the problem is repeated or ignored, it can lead to a serious deterioration in the functioning of the whole organism, reduced productivity and stress.
Insomnia, for example, can, if not cause, then exacerbate asthenic and depressive states, anxiety mental disorders.
Long-term sleep disturbances lead to a persistent increase in the production of the hormone cortisol, which puts the body in a state of constant stress and tension. As a result, metabolism is disturbed, hormonal imbalance occurs.
22.02.2019
To understand whether sleep disorders are the body’s response to difficult life situations or other external factors, or whether they serve as a marker of more serious diseases, the following survey will help:
● Do you feel very sleepy during the day?
● Do you have excessive irritability?
● Do you find it difficult to stay awake if you watch TV, read, work at the computer, or simply sit in one position?
● Do you find it difficult to drive a car because you feel tired and your reactions are slow?
● Do you have difficulty concentrating?
● Do you hear from others that you look tired?
● Do you observe a slow reaction?
● Do you find it difficult to manage your emotions?
● Can’t sleep for hours?
● Do you have to use caffeine or other energy drinks to keep yourself going?
If you answered yes to at least one question, most likely you have a sleep disorder that needs to be corrected.
Sleep disorders occur at any age
When do sleep disorders become a problem?
● Difficulty falling asleep in the evening, inability to fall asleep after waking up at night.
● Frequent awakening during the night, shallow, interrupted sleep.
● Sleepiness and poor performance during the day.
● The need to take some action to get yourself to sleep (drink sleeping pills, achieve perfect silence, take a bath, etc.).
If a person usually wakes up in the early morning hours, from about 3 to 5 am, feels unreasonable anxiety and cannot fall asleep, this condition may accompany the onset of depression or neurosis, so it is necessary to consult a neurologist for advice.
When insomnia is not a symptom of an illness, in most cases it can be managed with lifestyle changes, without medication.
Insomnia
Night terrors interfere with proper rest
Symptoms of insomnia: 9 0126
Apnea
disease, a marker of depression. Also, nightmares can occur while taking certain medications, including antidepressants, watching horror movies and excessive computer games.
One of the most common sleep disorders is insomnia. It can be caused by lack of physical activity, jet lag, medications, high caffeinated drinks in the diet, watching TV, or being in front of a computer or smartphone screen before bed. Or it can be a symptom of any disease – both mental and physical.
This disorder is characterized by a temporary cessation of breathing caused by the blockage of the upper airways, which leads to frequent awakening. As a result, a person feels irritability, exhaustion, a decrease in labor productivity, often depression joins this state.
The causes of sleep apnea may be congenital weakness of the muscles of the palate and pharynx, smoking, alcohol abuse, excess weight, insufficiently high pillow.
Apnea symptoms:
● Chronic snoring.
● Feeling of suffocation while sleeping.
● Frequent pauses in breathing during sleep.
● A person who wakes up in the middle of the night feels short of breath, dry throat, headache or chest pain, nasal congestion.
● Sleepiness during the day, feeling overwhelmed Photo of how many hours you slept.
Sleep apnea is a potentially life-threatening sleep disorder that can nevertheless be successfully treated.
Restless legs syndrome
Manifested as an inability to fall asleep due to an irresistible desire to move the limbs: often the legs, although sometimes the arms. No matter how a person lies down, he feels uncomfortable and wants to change his position.
The causes of this syndrome can be both hereditary and caused by neurological or somatic diseases, including diabetes mellitus, thyroid disease, uremia, anemia, deficiency of certain vitamins and trace elements.
Restless legs syndrome symptoms:
● Unpleasant sensations in the muscles that make you want to move your legs, lie down more comfortably: tingling, pain, feeling of heaviness. Sensations subside during movement or massage.
● When sleep does occur, it is interrupted or accompanied by twitching of the limbs.
Narcolepsy
This sleep disorder occurs due to brain dysfunction, resulting in impaired control of sleep and wakefulness, reduced synthesis of orexin – a hormone that is responsible for wakefulness. The causes of narcolepsy are not well understood; according to one version, it is hereditary in combination with external provoking factors, such as past viral or infectious diseases. The condition is potentially life-threatening and requires mandatory correction.
Symptoms of narcolepsy:
● Sudden loss of muscle control or feeling of weakness, especially during moments of emotional stress.
● Temporary paralysis after waking up.
● Uncontrolled and rapid falling asleep during daytime, a person may fall asleep even while driving or talking. After sleep, there is a feeling of cheerfulness.
● Hallucinations during the transition between sleep and wakefulness.
Nightmares
Symptoms of nightmares:
● Cries, moans during sleep.
● Awakening abruptly and feeling frightened.
● Rapid breathing and palpitations.
● Increased perspiration.
● Pressure increase.
Somnambulism
A disease better known as sleepwalking. Manifested as physical activity while in a state of sleep, a sleeping person can do ordinary household chores: turn on the TV, brush your teeth, clean up. At the same time, his eyes are open, he can navigate in space, answer simple questions, but his actions are unconscious and after waking up he does not remember what he did.
The causes of the phenomenon include lack of sleep, epilepsy, fever, taking certain medications, alcoholism, drug addiction, high levels of stress and anxiety.
Symptoms of somnambulism:
● Moving around and performing simple operations while asleep.
● Sleep in a sitting position.
● Sleep talking.
● The person wakes up in a different place from where he went to bed.
Bruxism
Bruxism manifests itself as grinding or tapping of the teeth during sleep and may occur several times a night.
The causes include neurosis, high stress levels, mental imbalance.
Symptoms of bruxism:
● Pain in the muscles of the face, temples, jaws.
● Ringing in the ears.
● Morning migraines, headaches.
● Erasure of hard tissue of teeth, development of caries and inflammation of the gums.
How to help yourself cope with sleep disorders
Sleep disorders can be caused by various reasons, so an individual approach is important for their elimination. It is important to be examined to make sure that sleep disturbances are not the result of diseases that require immediate treatment.
Regardless of this, it is necessary to establish a regimen and improve sleep hygiene. Just by exercising, being outdoors more often, limiting the use of gadgets and TV two hours before bedtime, you will already feel improvements.
In the task of getting rid of sleep disorders, an individual approach is very important. Only in this case, therapy will bring the most effective result in the shortest possible time.
In recent years, new effective methods for the treatment of sleep disorders have appeared, including translingual neurostimulation (TLNS) – a non-invasive effect on the brain through stimulation of tongue receptors.