Sleep disorders are prevalent in the United States. In fact, as many as 70 million Americans suffer from a sleep disorder. Getting a diagnosis can often be challenging. Some sleep disorder symptoms are obvious, like a consistent struggle to stay asleep during the night.
Other symptoms, such as heightened anxiety or increased irritability, can be more difficult to attribute to sleep issues. It can take years to be diagnosed with a sleep disorder. Patients often go from doctor to doctor seeking help, only to come up short of an accurate diagnosis.
If you are having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, experiencing daytime sleepiness, snoring, or have unexplained anxiety, irritability, or depression, it’s time to seek out help from a sleep doctor. Take the first step and schedule a consultation with Dr. Gingras, an expert in sleep disorders and treatment.
You Can’t Fall Asleep
Do you struggle to fall asleep? According to healthline.com, it takes the average adult 10-20 minutes to fall asleep at night. It’s completely normal to occasionally have difficulties falling asleep, the issue begins when the struggle becomes chronic.
If you haven’t been able to fall asleep quickly for weeks or months, it’s time to see a sleep doctor. Dr. Gingras will review symptoms, medical history and conduct a physical exam to identify any disorders that could be causing sleep issues.
In the meantime, start implementing some of the following techniques to improve your overall sleep hygiene.
- Go to bed and wake up at similar times each day.
- Avoid caffeine in the afternoon/evening.
- Turn off all devices 30 minutes to an hour before bed (ex: phones, TVs, laptops, etc.).
- Don’t eat dinner or snacks right before bed.
- Exercise and stay active throughout the day.
- Make your bedroom a comfortable, relaxing place.
- Meditate or do some light yoga poses before getting into bed.
- Cut back on or cut out alcohol.
- Avoid daytime napping.
You Have Trouble Staying Asleep
Another reason you may want to see a sleep doctor is if you have trouble staying asleep. Some people fall asleep within minutes only to awaken a few hours later, unable to fall back asleep.
According to sleepassociation.org, insomnia is the most common sleep disorder. Insomnia is having trouble falling and/or staying asleep or early morning awakenings. The organization states that around 30% of adults have short-term insomnia issues, and 10% of adults struggle with chronic insomnia. Short-term insomnia can be caused by various things such as high stress, a time of recovery from surgery, or illness.
Adults should get seven to eight hours of sleep each night. Insomnia cuts into this time, meaning even if you’re in bed for seven to eight hours, you might be sleeping much less. If your insomnia doesn’t go away and moves into the chronic range of weeks or months, it’s time to see a sleep doctor.
Daytime Sleepiness
It’s easy to blame daytime sleepiness on things like a long workday or a hard workout. Often, daytime sleepiness can be attributed to sleep issues at night. If you are feeling excessively sleepy during the day, take a look at your nighttime sleep patterns.
Are you struggling to fall asleep or stay asleep? Does your partner tell you that you snore all night? These are indicators that you may have a sleep disorder that is contributing to your daytime sleepiness.
Snoring or Unusual Breathing Patterns
Snoring and unusual breathing patterns during sleep are typically first detected by a partner. If your partner is repeatedly complaining about your snoring habits or if they are worried because you are gasping for air throughout the night, you might be suffering from sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is dangerous as it can lead to many other health issues. If you suspect that you might have sleep apnea, schedule an appointment with a local sleep doctor as soon as possible. A sleep study at the clinic will be able to easily diagnose a disorder like sleep apnea.
Unexplained Anxiety, Irritability, or Depression
Are you feeling more anxious, irritable, or depressed lately but aren’t sure why? Sleep (or lack thereof) could be the cause. Often, people who struggle with a sleep disorder find themselves feeling more anxious, irritable, or sad during their daily activities.
A combination of treating the sleep disorder as well as treating the mental health issue can help patients feel better in no time!
Be Ready for Your Appointment
After scheduling your consultation with a sleep doctor, it’s time to prepare for your appointment. First, keep a sleep diary each night leading up to your appointment. Take the time to write down any sleep issues or symptoms each morning when you wake up. Include the time you went to bed and the time you woke up in your journal.
Also, before heading to your appointment, write down a list of questions you have for your doctor. A list will help keep you organized and ensure that you remember to ask the doctor all your questions.
Filling out the Sleep Questionnaire before meeting with Dr. Gingras will complement your visit, providing important information about your sleep and medical history. Our questionnaire outlines possible symptoms as well as the frequency of symptoms that are useful in determining diagnoses and treatment options.
So many Americans have sleep disorders, but they often don’t know where to turn for help. They blame symptoms on other things, like stress, and avoid examining the root of their issues.
If you are struggling to fall asleep, stay asleep, or have issues such as excessive daytime sleepiness, snoring, unusual breathing while sleeping, or heightened anxiety/depression, you could be one of the millions of Americans suffering from a sleep disorder. Don’t wait another day. Put your health and wellness first by scheduling an appointment with Dr. Gingras, your local sleep doctor.