Sleep disorders can be identified by paying attention to the problem itself. Some people have trouble falling asleep while others have difficulty waking up in the morning. Others can't seem to stay awake throughout the day. Many people discover that they do odd things while they sleep. Still other people have trouble sleeping because their partner or spouse keeps them up at night.
If it is falling asleep that you have trouble with then you ought to identify if it is falling asleep at night that's the problem or is it falling asleep after waking in the middle of the night or in the early morning that is the problem? Difficulty with falling asleep at bedtime is quite common. It is called sleep latency and could indicate that you are suffering from sleep onset insomnia or restless leg syndrome. Those that find it hard to stay asleep all night are experiencing sleep fragmentation. There are several sleep disorders that could cause this. You might be suffering from sleep maintenance insomnia or advanced sleep phase disorder. All of these sleep problems could be compounded if your sleep patterns change because of a changing work schedule.
For those that have no trouble sleeping through the night but do have problems staying awake throughout the day there are other possible causes. One sleep disorder of this type is called narcolepsy and causes a person to fall asleep almost instantly at random times during the day. Other possibilities are obstructive sleep apnea or periodic limb movement disorder. This can also be a result of shift work.
Those with excessive sleep inertia find waking up in the morning very difficult. This could be the result of sleep apnea or delayed sleep phase disorder.
Other people find they do strange things when they are sleeping. This could range from sleep walking. They might wake up in new places or even make a meal while completely asleep. If this describes you then you may suffer from sleep walking, night terrors, or any number of parasomnias.
Some people can't sleep because their partner keeps them up. This might mean that their partner has a snoring problem or perhaps suffers from sleep apnea. Bruxism and restless leg syndrome are other possible culprits.
By identifying the type of sleep problem a person suffers from, it becomes easier to identify one of the many sleep disorders that could be responsible. This makes treatment possible.
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