Most people report not getting enough sleep on a regular basis. Considering that chronic sleep deprivation and poor sleep conditions are linked to physical diseases such as cancer and mental disorders such as anxiety and depression, awareness of sleep disorders and how to manage them are important to the entire nation. This article explains the symptoms of sleep disorders and how to overcome them.
What is a sleep disorder?
The term sleep disorder covers conditions such as insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, lower extremity anxiety syndrome (RLS), REM sleep behavior disorder, non-24-hour sleep awakening disorder, excessive sleepiness, and hypersleep. The prevalence of these disorders varies depending on the type and environment of the disorder, and many sleep disorders are more common in older people. According to recent data, up to 30% of adults suffer from insomnia, and the number of elderly people is soaring to 48%. The prevalence of sleep apnea also increases with age. In some elderly groups, up to 90% of men and up to 78% of women have been reported to suffer from this disorder characterized by dyspnea during sleep. Lower extremity anxiety syndrome is experienced by about 3.9% to 14.3% of the population, and the prevalence also increases with age. Rare conditions include excessive sleep, which affects about 4-6% of the general population, and incidental sleep reported in 1.7-3.3% of the population (sleep-related eating, sleep-related violence, sleepwalking, and sexual activity during sleep). In addition, there are REM sleep behavior disorders that are mild in 0.5 to 1.25% of the population and narcolepsy that affects less than 1% of the population. In addition, most people report not getting the recommended eight hours of sleep at night. Therefore, sleep disorders affect a significant portion of the population and should be addressed to prevent sleep deprivation-related diseases and improve quality of life.
Management of sleep disorders
The first step in solving sleep problems at home is to consider the causes of sleep problems. Stress is closely related to sleep deprivation, and important life events, whether positive or negative, such as moving, changing jobs, or losing unemployment, childbirth, marriage, or loved ones can degrade sleep quality. In addition, physical and mental health problems appear to have a two-way relationship with sleep. It should be checked whether underlying diseases can cause sleep deprivation. In particular, anxiety and depression are closely related to sleep deprivation, as are chronic pain and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). If mental or physical health problems can be associated with sleep disorders, medical attention is required.
1. Improve sleep-wake routine
Humans have a natural circadian rhythm that tells them when to wake up and when to sleep. This is generally controlled by the night and day cycles of the day, but it is also affected by social signals such as mealtime. Modern life also affects this cycle, and the use of artificial lighting can interfere with circadian rhythms and prevent sleepiness at bedtime. Other factors, such as working hours and telecommuting, may also interfere with this cycle.
Going to bed at the same time every night and waking up at the same time is important for scheduling your body to get ready for sleep every night. To improve the quality of sleep, it is recommended to keep regular bedtime and wake-up time. In addition, the use of bright white lighting in the evening should be changed to dim lighting in yellow hues. The use of screens (cell phones, PCs, TVs) should be restricted 1 to 2 hours before bedtime. This is because the blue light color of such a device can cause fatigue. It is also recommended to use night mode on connected devices, and it is recommended that notifications do not sound.
2. Caffeine and Alcohol
These two are the main causes of sleep deprivation in terms of diet. Caffeine should be avoided before and after lunch, and alcohol can cause drowsiness, but it has been found to mainly interfere with sleep. In addition, overeating in an hour before bedtime is generally not recommended because it induces activity in the digestive system after meals.
3. Take lactium
Some studies have shown that daily consumption of lactium, an alpha-S1 casein hydrolyzate component of Ingridia, can improve the quality and amount of sleep. Data from a double-blind randomized cross-examination of 48 participants showed sleep efficiency when replenishing 300 mg of lactium per day for 4 weeks. In addition, those who participated in this study reported an improvement in sleep time after supplementing lactium. The effect of lactium was more clearly demonstrated after 4 weeks of ingestion compared to 2 weeks, suggesting that the substance could improve sleep quality when administered for a long period of time without significant side effects or resistance. These findings have significant advantages over conventional sleep aids that develop resistance or have side effects after long-term use.