Sleep disturbances affect nearly everyone at some point. They occur when you have difficulty falling or staying asleep, which leads to daytime tiredness and impaired functioning.
Some common sleep disturbances include:
- Insomnia - difficulty falling or staying asleep
- Sleep apnea - pauses in breathing during sleep
- Restless leg syndrome - unpleasant sensations and urge to move legs
- Circadian rhythm disorders - mismatch between sleep times and natural body clock
What causes sleep disturbances?
There are many potential causes, such as:
- Stress
- Medical conditions - asthma, depression, chronic pain
- Medications
- Poor sleep habits - inconsistent bedtimes, excessive blue light exposure before bed
What are the consequences?
Frequent sleep disturbances can:
- Negatively impact daily performance, focus and memory
- Increase risk of accidents or errors
- Lead to mood changes like irritability
How are sleep disturbances treated?
- Establishing good sleep hygiene through regular bedtimes/wake times, limiting blue light at night, avoiding caffeine late in the day
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Relaxation techniques
- Medications in some cases
An underlying condition causing sleep problems should also be addressed.
Seeing a sleep specialist may help identify and treat the root causes.
At
Balance Hormone Clinic, we understand the vital role sleep plays in health, cognitive functioning and quality of life.
We offer comprehensive hormone panels to assess potential hormonal influences on sleep. Our clinicians can provide personalized treatment plans involving
hormone balancing therapies to help resolve sleep issues related to hormonal changes.