If you’ve ever wondered whether your sleep is “normal,” you’re not alone. Millions of people struggle with poor sleep but never get formally evaluated. The good news? You don’t always need a sleep lab to take the first step.
Self-sleep screening tools can help you identify patterns, flag potential issues, and decide whether it’s time to seek professional help. Think of them as a first check under the hood of your sleep health.
For many, the transition from wakefulness to sleep is seamless and natural. However, some individuals find themselves tossing and turning, with the elusive embrace of sleep evading them for an extended period. This phenomenon is known as prolonged sleep latency, a condition that can leave one yearning for restful slumber. In this blog post, we'll delve into the intricacies of prolonged sleep latency, explore its potential causes, and unveil strategies to address this challenge and welcome the gift of a peaceful night's sleep.
Schizophrenia is a mental health disorder that is characterized b y hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized or paranoid thinking.
This condition is lifelong, and often needs treatment for the entirety of one's life. Schizophrenia first appears in one's mid 20s, but it can occur earlier or later.
Some original symptoms include disruption to your usual sleep pattern and can lead to insomnia and increased sleep latency. Circadian rhythm disruption is also an early sign of schizophrenia and can appear prior to any delusions, hallucinations, or other noticeable symptoms.
The relationship between schizophrenia and sleep are closely related, and understanding the relationship may help with management and treatment. Continue reading to find out more about this relationship.
A lot of our content focuses on what not getting enough sleep looks like, which is important because a majority of people do not. However, it's also important to know what the signs are if you are getting enough sleep because you probably are practicing some positive habits that you should aim to maintain.
Below, we are going to discuss signs that you're getting enough sleep, and if you recognize them, then continue doing what you're doing (if it's healthy). If you do not have any, or many, of the signs below, then you may need to make some adjustments to improve your sleep.
Older adults commonly have sleep troubles, mostly due to physiological changes that can interrupt normal sleep patterns, but sometimes due to underlying disorders that can manifest into insomnia. It's important to identify these underlying disorders for accurate treatment. Sleep aids can have detrimental effects in elderly adults, so if they can be avoided through accurate diagnoses, then that will be better for their health.
Below are some common underlying disorders that can negatively affect health. If you think one of these impacts you or a loved one, then it's important to speak with your primary care physician immediately.
Substance abuse disorders and addiction are complicated diseases that involve the overwhelming desire or craving for drugs, alcohol, and other medications of abuse. Addiction and substance abuse disorders can cause turmoil for the individual, families, and can even result in permanent debilitation and death.
Connections between substance abuse and mental health disorders have been well established, as well as mental health disorders and sleep disturbances. However, now researchers are starting to draw connections between sleep disturbances and substance use disorders. The causes of addiction are multifactorial and include both environmental and biochemical alterations, but sleep may play a key role in the development of addiction. Continue reading to find out more about this relationship.
Excessive daytime sleepiness is a symptom that many adults deal with. Normally it's due to the lack of time and ability to get the recommended number of hours of sleep. However, sometimes it's due to an underlying sleep disorder. Two common causes of excess daytime sleepiness are sleep apnea and narcolepsy.
Their symptoms and presentations may seem very similar, but it's important to know the difference between them for treatment purposes. Continue reading to find out more about the differences between sleep apnea and narcolepsy.
Sexsomnia, also known as sleep sex, is a type of parasomnia disorder. Parasomnia disorders are those that happen while you are asleep, and are supposed to be "paralyzed" essentially. People with sexsomnia engage in sexual behaviors, like masturbation, sexual movements, sexual aggression, or initiating sex while they are asleep. Their eyes may be open, and they may be making noises, but they are unaware of their behavior once they wake up.
Sexsomnia can cause a lot of shame and distress for individuals with it and any bed partners. Here is some more information about what it is and how it can be addressed.
There is a gland in the neck called the thyroid. It produces thyroid hormone that is responsible for regulating many processes in your body. When the gland no longer produces these hormones, it can have detrimental effects on many processes, including sleep. Continue reading to find out if your thyroid may be the reason you're having trouble sleeping.
Cortisol is known as the stress hormone in your body. It is released from the hypothalamic-pituitary axis (HPA), which is the part of your brain that is responsible for the release of several key hormones in your body. Cortisol has a variety of functions, and when normal, is essential for key body functions. However, when levels of cortisol are abnormal, there are some key consequences, including your sleep. Continue reading to find out how cortisol affects your sleep.