Difficulty sleeping is a common problem that affects between 50-70 million Americans. Sleep disorders can be extremely frustrating, leaving you tossing and turning in bed or exhausted during the day. Not getting enough rest results in negative impacts on your mood, mental health, and general physical health. Chronic sleep deprivation can result in a higher risk for heart attack, diabetes, stroke, obesity, depression, and memory loss.
However, once isolated and understood, sleep disorders can generally be successfully treated. The following are three of the most common sleep disorders.
Three common sleep disorders
1. Insomnia
Insomnia is a sleep disorder that causes people to have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep once they do fall asleep. Insomnia can be caused by discomfort from illness or injury. It may also be caused by stress, sadness, or other upsets. However, it is also common that there is no obvious cause at all for insomnia.
To address insomnia, the right treatment varies. Good sleeping habits may help, including no screen time before bed, sleeping in a dark, quiet room, going to bed at the same time each night and getting up at the same time each morning, and controlling the temperature.
More complex treatments may also include cognitive behavior therapy, a program that includes sleep consolidation, stimulus control, cognitive restructuring, sleep hygiene, and relaxation techniques.
2. Snoring
Snoring is a common problem that disrupts healthy, deep sleep. Snoring affects 40% of men and 20% of women, increasing with weight gain and age. Snoring can be particularly disruptive for people because it also impacts their partner’s sleep, causing double distress. Snoring can be a sign of a more serious sleep disorder called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
Snoring can be treated with procedures that address the soft palette to firm and stiffen the area or address overly large tonsils or a deviated septum.
3. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
OSA causes people to stop and start breathing during sleep due to floppy or narrow throat tissues. The throat muscles intermittently relax and block the airway during sleep. One of the more noticeable signs of obstructive sleep apnea is snoring. As breathing becomes difficult, the sleeping person wakes up, usually briefly and without memory. This happens over and over, greatly disrupting sleep.
Aside from weight loss and cutting back on alcohol consumption, different treatments for OSA are available to help improve your sleep quality and general health. These include dental devices and breathing devices. One treatment includes a device that uses pressure to keep your airway open during sleep. Another treatment is a mouthpiece that works to help move your lower jaw forward during sleep.
Surgical treatments include removing and repositioning loose tissue in the throat to widen the airway. During this surgery, the soft palate and uvula are trimmed down, and the tonsils are removed, and some of the muscles of the soft palate are repositioned.
Treating your sleep disorder at South Florida ENT Associates
South Florida ENT Associates has a team of top ENTs in Miami and surrounding areas. We have been treating patients for over 30 years. We provide trusted, highly-trained physicians and providers across every ENT specialty. We are compassionate, understanding, and experienced experts when it comes to providing effective solutions to resolve sleep disorders and help you sleep deeply and solidly again. Please call today to schedule a consultation to find out how your sleep disorder can be resolved at South Florida ENT Associates.
