I am one of those people who believe in the power of sleep. From being able to avoid the zombie look to having great skin, and looking fresh throughout the day, getting enough of those zzzs is totally worth it. There are some people who don’t believe in sleeping the recommended 7-8 hours. Actually, I do know a certain human who proudly describes it as laziness, hence the reason why they deprive themselves of sleep (I don’t know how they get through life with 3-4 hours of sleep a night). Anyway, as much as I would like to say ‘to each their own’, sleep experts are urging folks to recognize the symptoms of sleep disorders and take timely action to avoid the negative effects of sleep deprivation on their physical and emotional wellbeing.

Sleep Deprivation and Sleep Disorders

In my search for answers on this sleepy subject, I sort of bumped into Dr. Hady Jerdak, Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Diseases and Sleep Medicine at Medcare Hospital in Dubai. According to him, sleep deprivation is a serious concern affecting a great majority of individuals. “Unfortunately, many patients are unaware of the fact that sleep deprivation can lead to sleep disorders, which can lead them to ignore the symptoms.”

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A lack of sleep, he continues, can weaken the immune system’s defenses against viruses, increase the risk for high blood pressure and type 2 Diabetes, and even lead to issues directly related to heart disease. “Daytime headaches, frustration, and lack of concentration are all symptoms that could hint to more serious health problems.” I agree with him on this one, because I know those symptoms when I can’t help getting a minimal amount of sleep.

Common Sleep Disorders

Most people (especially in the UAE), according to one study, suffer some form or symptom of sleep disorders. The most common of them is obstructive sleep apnea which causes the individual to snore heavily, suffer from daytime fatigue, and morning headaches, and even stop breathing while asleep.

And to know if you have sleep apnea, Dr. Jerdak advises you to pay close attention to signs of chronic fatigue. “While many people may simply need to catch up on a few missed hours, experiencing sleeping problems repeatedly may be indicative of an underlying health problem. Increased stress levels, mood swings, and anxiety can also cause sleeping disorders. The reverse is also true, with sleeping problems often leading to anxiety disorders,” adds Dr. Jerdak

Common types of sleep disorders include:

Sleep apnea: Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder in which breathing stops or gets very shallow during sleep. These breathing pauses last between 10 to 20 seconds or more.
Insomnia: Insomnia is a type of sleep disorder in which the person has difficulty falling asleep or staying Asleep.
Restless leg syndrome (RLS): Restless leg syndrome is a disorder characterized by a tingling or prickly sensation in the legs and an urge or need to move the legs.
Narcolepsy: Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder that causes excessive daytime drowsiness and sudden onset of sleep.
Parasomnias: This refers to abnormal behaviors that occur during sleep. Parasomnias include nightmares, night terrors, sleepwalking, and sleep talking, head banging, wetting the bed and grinding teeth.

Treatment of Sleep Disorders

Sleep disorder treatment, according to Dr. Jerdak, can be classified into two main categories: pharmacological treatment and non-pharmacological treatment. “Pharmacological treatment includes any prescription or non-prescription medications to help prevent the onset of the symptoms or treat the developed symptoms,” he explains adding that depending on the type of disorder, treatment could include hypnotics (in case the condition is related to insomnia), or stimulants (in case the condition is related to narcolepsy or sleep apnea).

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“Non-pharmacological sleep treatment refers to those options that do not require the use of prescription or non-prescription drugs. These may include behavioral therapy, medical equipment like CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure), surgery, and other options.”

Now you can go forth and sleep like a baby, that’s if you want to avoid some of these nasty sleep disorders.