Sleep Disorders

Insufficient sleep not only causes tiredness and irritability but could increase your risk of health problems like heart disease and stroke. If you have problems getting a decent night’s sleep, talk to board-certified nurse practitioner Kanwaljit (Kavi) Sidhu, NP-C, PMHNP-BC, at Sidhu Psychiatric Clinic in Palm Harbor, Florida. Kavi offers expert diagnosis and treatment for common sleep disorders like insomnia. Call Sidhu Psychiatric Clinic today or schedule an in-person or telehealth consultation online for help with your sleep disorder.

What are sleep disorders?

Sleep disorders affect how well and/or how long you sleep.

Everyone has a bad night now and then, especially if they’re sick, worried, excited, or in an unfamiliar place.

However, if your sleep problem persists for weeks or months, you should visit Kavi at Sidhu Psychiatric Clinic for a sleep disorder evaluation. 

What are some common sleep disorders?

Common sleep disorders include:

Insomnia

Insomnia is a condition where you can’t get to sleep, you wake too soon, or some combination that keeps you from getting enough sleep.

Restless legs syndrome

As its name suggests, people with restless legs syndrome feel compelled to move their legs in bed. It’s usually due to a strange, unpleasant feeling in the legs that moving them relieves. Because it’s hard to sleep when your legs are moving, people with this condition are often sleep-deprived.

Parasomnias

Parasomnias are sleep disorders where you perform unusual or unwanted behaviors when asleep. Examples include sleepwalking, bedwetting, teeth grinding, talking in your sleep, and having frequent nightmares.

Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is a less common sleep disorder where you fall asleep suddenly, even when sitting up or talking.

Other kinds of sleep disorders include obstructive and central sleep apnea. These conditions are caused by an airway blockage or neurological problem that makes you stop breathing momentarily multiple times during the night.

What problems do sleep disorders cause?

If you have insomnia, the inability to sleep even when you desperately want to can have severe effects on your mental health. You might also experience symptoms like:

• Feeling tired in the morning
• Early morning headaches
• Problems concentrating
• Unexplained weight gain
• Excessive snoring
• Making errors or having accidents at school or work

Another key sleep disorder problem is excessive daytime sleepiness. You might feel overwhelmed by the need to sleep, even when you haven’t been awake for long. Excessive daytime sleepiness can be dangerous if you fall asleep while working or driving.

How are sleep disorders diagnosed and treated?

Diagnosing sleep disorders requires a mental health assessment and, very often, a sleep study. You can usually complete a home sleep study for convenience but might need to attend an overnight sleep center for more complex problems.

Treatment depends on your sleep disorder’s cause. For example, if you have insomnia, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI) can help you sleep better.

Call Sidhu Psychiatric Clinic or book an appointment online today to see how Kavi can help with your sleep disorder.