Sleep Disorders
Many people experience disturbances in their sleep at some point in their lives. Depending on the population and sleep disorder being studied, between 30% and 50% of the population suffers from a sleep disorder at some point in their lives (Bixler, Kales, Soldatos, Kaels, & Healey, 1979; Hossain & Shapiro, 2002; Ohayon, 1997, 2002; Ohayon & Roth, 2002). This section will describe several sleep disorders as well as some of their treatment options.
Insomnia
Insomnia is a consistent difficulty in falling or staying asleep and is the most common of the sleep disorders. Individuals with insomnia often experience long delays between the times that they go to bed and actually fall asleep. In addition, these individuals may wake up several times during the night and find they have difficulty getting back to sleep. One of the criteria for insomnia involves experiencing these symptoms for at least three nights a week for at least one month’s time (Roth, 2007).
It is not uncommon for people suffering from insomnia to experience increased levels of anxiety about their inability to fall asleep. This becomes a self-perpetuating cycle because increased anxiety leads to increased arousal, and higher levels of arousal make the prospect of falling asleep even more unlikely. Chronic insomnia is almost always associated with feeling overtired and may be associated with symptoms of depression.
Treatments for Insomnia
There may be many factors that contribute to insomnia, including age, drug use, exercise, mental status, and bedtime routines. Insomnia treatment may take one of several different approaches. People who suffer from insomnia might limit their use of stimulant drugs (such as caffeine) or increase their amount of physical exercise during the day. Some people may benefit from over-the-counter (OTC) or prescribed sleep medications to help them sleep, but this should be done sparingly because many sleep medications result in dependence and alter the nature of the sleep cycle which can actually increase insomnia over time. Those who continue to have insomnia, particularly if it affects their quality of life, should seek professional treatment.
Some forms of psychotherapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, can help sufferers of insomnia. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on cognitive processes and problem behaviors. The treatment of insomnia likely would include stress management techniques and changes in problematic behaviors that could contribute to insomnia (e.g., spending more waking time in bed). Cognitive-behavioral therapy has been demonstrated to be quite effective in treating insomnia (Savard, Simard, Ivers, & Morin, 2005; Williams, Roth, Vatthauer, & McCrae, 2013).
Solutions to support healthy sleep
Has something like this ever happened to you?
My college housemate got so stressed out during finals his sophomore year that he drank almost a whole bottle of Nyquil to try to fall asleep. When he told me, I made him go see the college therapist.
Many college students struggle to get the recommended 7–9 hours of sleep each night. However, for some, it’s not because of all-night partying or late-night study sessions. It’s simply that they feel so overwhelmed and stressed that they cannot fall asleep or stay asleep. One or two nights of sleep difficulty is not unusual, but if you experience prolonged difficulty falling to staying asleep, you should seek a doctor’s advice.
Here are some tips to maintain healthy sleep:
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Stick to a sleep schedule, even on the weekends. Try going to bed and waking up at the same time every day to keep your biological clock in sync so your body gets in the habit of sleeping every night.
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Avoid anything stimulating for an hour before bed. This includes exercise and bright light from devices.
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Exercise daily.
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Avoid naps.
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Keep your bedroom temperature between 60 and 67 degrees. People sleep better in cooler temperatures.
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Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine, and heavy meals before bed. It may feel like alcohol helps you sleep, but it actually disrupts REM sleep and leads to frequent awakenings.
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Heavy meals may make you sleepy, but they can also lead to frequent awakenings due to gastric distress.
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If you cannot fall asleep, leave your bed and do something else until you feel tired again.
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Train your body to associate the bed with sleeping rather than other activities like studying, eating, or watching television.