Types of Sleep Disorders
An entire textbook could be (and is) dedicated to various types of sleep conditions, that range widely in their nature and severity. Canadians experience a number of them including:
- Insomnia: We’ll dive into this further, but difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.
- Sleep Apnea: A serious sleep disorder where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, categorized as either obstructive or neurogenic in nature.
- Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS): An overwhelming need to move the legs, usually due to uncomfortable sensations. Studies show that magnesium levels are typically lower in those with RLS1 and that oral supplementation can be helpful.2,3
- Narcolepsy: A condition characterized by extreme daytime drowsiness and sudden attacks of sleep due to an inability to control sleep-wake cycles.4
- Circadian Rhythm Disorders: An umbrella of conditions where there are problems with the sleep-wake cycle including Jet Lag Disorder, Delayed Sleep-Wake Phase Disorder, Shift Work Disorder and more.5
Categories of Insomnia6
“I’m suffering from insomnia” is a common complaint when it comes to sleep, but understanding the nuances are critical for identifying the appropriate remedy. Consider it from a few angles – duration, cause, and symptoms.
By Duration:
- Acute: Short-term (less than a month) and often due to stress, diet, or a traumatic event.
- Chronic: Long-term, and defined as lasting more than six months
By Cause:
- Primary: Sleep problems that are not associated with any other health issues
- Secondary: Sleep problems that stem from other health conditions like arthritis, heartburn, depression, cancer, and more.
By Symptoms:
- Onset: Difficulty with falling asleep when your head hits the pillow
- Maintenance: The inability to stay asleep throughout the night
- Waking: Waking up too early and not being able to fall back asleep
Root Causes of Sleep Issues
The causes of sleep issues can be multifaceted, often involving physical, psychological, and environmental factors. Some common culprits include:
- Stress and anxiety: Perhaps one of the more common triggers of sleep issues, psychological stress can keep you up at night. It also happens to be a bit of a chicken and egg scenario with stress impacting sleep, and lack of sleep exacerbating stress. It activates the body’s fight-or-flight response which increases heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol levels.7 That arousal can lead to frequent waking as the mind runs.
- Health conditions: Consider chronic pain for example, which can make it difficult to find a comfortable sleeping position. Add a respiratory issue on top of that, like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), and now there is a feeling of breathlessness that follows you into the land of dreams.8
- Lifestyle and dietary choices: As a stimulant, caffeine will decrease the quality of your sleep if consumed late in the day. Alcohol, on the other hand, acts as a sedative which may help you fall asleep better but interrupts the sleep-wake cycle and interrupts a quality night’s sleep.
- Environmental factors: The bedroom environment is more crucial than we know. Noise from neighbours or traffic, light exposure from screens, and a room that’s too hot or cold can all impact a good night’s rest.
How to Lull Yourself to Sleep
| Sleep Issue | Support |
| Wanting to optimize the entire sleep cycle from start to finish? | GoodNight! |
| Need a clinically proven option for a heavy sleep?9 | Deep Sleep |
| Fancy a helping hand during stressful situations throughout the day? | Relax Spray |
| Generalized stress making it difficult to relax? | Passion Flower |
| Sleep troubles in your toddler or kids? | Valerian |
| Feelings of rumination keeping you awake? | Relax Tabs |
| Looking to improve your day-to-day threshold for handling frustration? | Avenaforce |
With the right approach, natural health products can be a valuable part of a comprehensive strategy to improve your sleep, and by extension, your overall health.
Remember, the best version of yourself starts with a GoodNights! Sleep.
References
- Silber, Michael H., et al. "The management of restless legs syndrome: an updated algorithm." Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Vol. 96. No. 7. Elsevier, 2021.
- Yıldırım, Engin, and Hakan Apaydın. "Zinc and magnesium levels of pregnant women with restless leg syndrome and their relationship with anxiety: a case-control study." Biological Trace Element Research5 (2021): 1674-1685.
- Marshall, Nathaniel S., et al. "Magnesium supplementation for the treatment of restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movement disorder: a systematic review." Sleep Medicine Reviews48 (2019): 101218.
- Slowik, Jennifer M., Jacob F. Collen, and Allison G. Yow. "Narcolepsy." StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing, 2023.
- Zhu, Lirong, and Phyllis C. Zee. "Circadian rhythm sleep disorders." Neurologic Clinics4 (2012): 1167-1191.
- Bollu, Pradeep C., and Harleen Kaur. "Sleep medicine: insomnia and sleep." Missouri Medicine1 (2019): 68.
- Martire, Viviana Lo, et al. "Stress & sleep: A relationship lasting a lifetime." Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews117 (2020): 65-77.
- Budhiraja, Rohit, Tauseef A. Siddiqi, and Stuart F. Quan. "Sleep disorders in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: etiology, impact, and management." Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine3 (2015): 259-270.
- Dimpfel, Wilfried, and A. A. Suter. "Sleep improving effects of a single dose administration of a valerian/hops fluid extract. A double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled sleep-EEG study in a parallel design using the electrohypnogram." Zeitschrift für PhytotherapieS 1 (2008): P06.
