We are taught from an early age to study hard and to achieve high grades in order to build our desired career. Once we complete our studies and get a job, or start working, most of us are so focused on our work that we forget everything else. We don’t take time to rest or take a break from work, and slowly start developing sleep disorders. Sleep is a vital part of healthy life and lack of it leads to various health problems and serious illnesses.
Sleep disorder is a generic term that may refer to any sleep related health problem like falling asleep at abnormal times, difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, excessive sleep until daytime, difficulty in maintaining a sleeping routine, or any other abnormal behavior related to sleep.
Difficulty falling asleep is one of the most common forms of sleep disorder which is also known by the popular term insomnia. It is a sleeping disorder that involves being unable to fall asleep, being unable to stay asleep and staying awake for long periods. Such occurrences could be for a short term such as 2 to 3 weeks, or could be long term (which is referred to as chronic).
There are various factors responsible for causing insomnia like depression, daytime napping, heavy smoking, alcohol consumption, drug addiction, caffeine intake, terrible sleeping environment (e.g. with light or noise), use of some specific medications, etc.
Insomnia may cause stress making it even more difficult for the sufferer to fall asleep. It may also result in something known as delayed sleep phase syndrome that makes the sufferer constantly have a different perspective of when to sleep; for example some patients are stated to prefer sleeping from 4 am to noon.
Hence, when a person realizes having difficulty sleeping, it is imperative that he or she consult a doctor to figure out a solution to the problem before it elevates.
