Sleep Problems

A sleep disorder is a medical disorder of the sleep patterns of a person. Some sleep disorders are serious enough to interfere with normal physical, mental, social and emotional functioning

Types of Sleep Problems

Sleep disorders come in many forms, from those that affect the amount of sleep that you get to those that disrupt or reduce the quality of your sleep. If you aren’t waking up most mornings feeling rested and refreshed, then you aren’t sleeping as well as you should be. Sometimes this is due to outside influences, such as a noisy environment or shift patterns. However, it can also be linked to emotional issues such as stress or anxiety.

"At night I can’t sleep, In the Morning I can’t wake up"  - A common complaint of someone with a sleep problem.

How much sleep do we need ? How can I sleep better ? Why do I need to sleep so much ?

Can’t fall asleep, awake at night or can’t wake up in the morning, having nightmares and night terrors ?

Sometimes the anxiety about falling asleep could lead to insomnia.

"Sleep just isn’t sleep any more, it’s an escape" - Excessive sleeping .

When to Seek Sleep Disorder Treatment

Sleep problems shouldn’t be ignored as they have a significant impact on your mental and physical wellbeing. Sleep is as important to our health as eating, drinking and breathing. It allows our bodies to repair themselves and our brains to consolidate our memories and process information.

Poor sleep is linked to physical problems such as a weakened immune system and mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.

Sleep disorder treatment can help you to get the right amount of good quality sleep so you should talk to Dr Balu about your sleep problems if:

• They have lasted more than a few nights or keep coming back
• You feel stressed, depressed or isolated
• They are having a severe impact on your life or work
• You have any coexisting mental health disorders
• You experience symptoms of mania, paranoia or psychosis, which can all be linked to severe sleep deprivation

Dr Balu’s Approach to Sleep Disorder Treatment

Dr Balu can advise on all kinds of sleep problems that are linked to your mental health and emotional wellbeing. He will begin by asking about your symptoms in order to understand what might be at the root of your insomnia or sleep disorder. He will then suggest a personalised sleep disorder treatment approach, which may include:

• Advice on creating a more restful sleeping environment and bedtime routine
• Tips on improving your sleep patterns, for example by gradually shifting your bedtime
• Therapy sessions to discuss any worries or problems affecting your sleep
• Techniques such as CBT to help you to change your behaviour and thought patterns
• Treatment for any coexisting issues such as anxiety, stress or depression
• Adjusting any medication you are taking if it could be responsible
• Lifestyle changes to boost your health and improve sleep quality

If your sleep issues are causing your emotional problems or your emotional issues are causing your sleep problems, call us to find out how we can help.