Dissonnie: What Are They And How Do They Affect Us?
By dysomnia we mean that set of sleep disorders that cannot be explained by an underlying disease. All of us have experienced some characteristic symptoms in some way, which reminded us of the importance of enjoying quality sleep.
Sleeping is a primary need, to the point that bad rest is associated with worse cognitive performance . The current lifestyle is responsible for the increase in sleep disturbances, which make their way among the main reasons for seeking medical advice.
Much more than sleeping badly
Primary sleep disorders are defined as those that, by etiology, do not refer to a medical condition. These disorders can be divided into three groups as follows:
- Initial sleep phase: disorders such as insomnia, in which the person is unable to sleep properly.
- Sleep maintenance: disorders characterized by the inability to maintain continuous sleep and to deal with intermittent awakenings.
- Excess sleep: that is, when disorders associated with excess sleep arise, as in the case of hypersomnia.
In addition to this, dysomnia has something in common with parasomnia, that is, states of altered sleep, associated with a worsening of the quality and duration of rest.
To summarize, all those sleep disturbances of a psychological nature fall into the group of dysomnia.
Types of dissomnia
Dysomnia represent one of the broadest categories, as it embraces a fair variety of disorders.
When psychological, environmental and organic factors potentially harmful to rest arise , alterations in the duration and quality of sleep can manifest themselves in various ways. We can list:
- Disorders associated with the initial phase and continuation of sleep.
- Disorders associated with the quality and duration of sleep.
Sleep initiation and continuation dysomnia
Of these disorders, insomnia is the most common, as well as the one most often reported. Put simply, this alteration is due to difficulty falling asleep, general inability to continue sleeping, or a combination of both.
If left untreated, these dysomnias become particularly serious and cause negative effects that are reflected in the person’s daily life. Among the most common we can mention:
- Insomnia. A state of psychological and physiological arousal that hinders sleep. Although the individual is motivated to fall asleep, his body is unable to relax and enter the desired state.
- Intermittent awakenings or superficial sleep. This type of disorder consists in the inability to reach a state of deep sleep. In the slow wave sleep phase (NREM) sleep acquires a restorative effect. When this state is not reached, the subject presents a state of daytime sleepiness.
Dysomnia associated with the quality and duration of sleep
In this category, most parasomnias overlap, such as sleepwalking or sleep paralysis. Alterations associated with sleep quality and duration occur when a person sleeps less than normal or sleeps excessively, and this is usually accompanied by poor sleep quality.
For example, hypersomnia consists of excessive and out of phase sleep, which does not have a positive effect on the subject.
Alterations of the circadian rhythm
Dysomnia as such represent an imbalance in the circadian rhythm. This basic biological cycle, usually lasting 24 hours, has the task of telling us when it is time to sleep and how, through the synthesis of external markers, such as light or temperature.
Alterations such as jet lag are an example of the fact that when the phases of sleep are altered the subject suffers from a transient state of general imbalance that involves most of his functions.
How to recognize the dysomnia?
Symptoms begin to show up imperceptibly: who doesn’t happen to have a sleepless night? The problem arises when the situation is prolonged and the symptoms cause increasingly disabling consequences.
Our nervous system tries to adapt to the situation and once we get used to this malfunction, the subject finds himself in a vicious circle that is difficult to break.
People closest to the individual with dysomnia hardly notice the problem. Poor quality sleep results in an impoverishment of daily performance. In these cases it is recommended to:
- Act quickly. As soon as the first symptoms of cognitive decline are observed, the doctor should be consulted.
- Referral to a specialist. Family doctors in general are the first link in the health care system. The patient will be referred to a different specialist based on the cause of the alteration.
- Useful tools for diagnosis. The main diagnostic tests are the clinical interview, standardized psychometric tests, such as the daytime sleepiness test and polysomnographic studies.
Treatment of dysomnia
Treatment varies according to the etiology of the disorder. Generally, behavioral therapies aimed at modifying the response to the stimulus are recommended.
But psychoeducation is the basis of any intervention, the starting point for proper sleep hygiene. Thanks to it, it is possible to prevent risk factors such as excessive consumption of exciting substances and stressful situations before going to sleep.
Likewise, it is important to clarify that dysomnia can coexist with other problems of an organic nature. This is why in many cases the psychologist is not the main professional involved in the intervention or why the synchronized work of a team of professionals becomes necessary.
Many people generally ignore the body’s signals; among the most common, the absence of quality sleep. Since we have the tools to avoid immediate consequences – such as the consumption of coffee or the intake of drugs – the symptoms can push the subject to (not?) Ask for help in the early stages.
On the other hand, once the body gets used to functioning in this way, going back is difficult. Precisely for this reason, contacting a doctor as soon as possible is an essential condition for the success of any type of intervention.
