Sleep Disorders
Sleep disorders encompass a broad range of conditions that impair the ability to sleep well, affecting sleep quality, timing, or duration in ways that cause significant daytime impairment and health consequences. Sleep is not a passive state but a complex, active biological process essential for brain restoration, memory consolidation, immune function, metabolic regulation, and emotional processing. Chronic sleep disruption has far-reaching consequences for physical and mental health.
Insomnia
Insomnia — difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking too early — is the most prevalent sleep disorder, affecting up to one third of adults to some degree. Chronic insomnia (lasting three or more months, occurring at least three nights per week) affects 10–15% of the population. It is often perpetuated by unhelpful behaviours and beliefs about sleep — lying in bed awake for long periods, spending excessive time in bed to compensate, irregular sleep schedules, and catastrophising about the consequences of poor sleep. Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) — addressing these perpetuating factors — is now recognised as the most effective long-term treatment, superior to sleeping tablets in most cases.
Restless legs syndrome (RLS)
RLS causes an uncomfortable urge to move the legs — often accompanied by crawling, tingling, or burning sensations — that is worse in the evening and at rest and is temporarily relieved by movement. It is a recognised neurological condition linked to dopamine dysfunction and iron deficiency, and significantly disrupts sleep onset. Treatment includes iron supplementation (if deficient), lifestyle measures, and in more severe cases, dopamine agonists or alpha-2 delta ligands.
Circadian rhythm disorders
The body's internal clock — the circadian rhythm — regulates the timing of sleep and wakefulness. Disruptions to this rhythm result in sleep occurring at the wrong time relative to environmental and social expectations. Delayed sleep phase disorder — common in adolescents and young adults — involves a strong preference for very late sleep and waking times. Shift work sleep disorder and jet lag represent circadian disruption imposed by external schedules. Management involves light therapy, melatonin, and careful sleep schedule manipulation.
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