STILL AWAKE? It could be a sleep disorder

Good sleep is vital to your health, but what happens when you cannot seem to fall asleep?

- STEPHANIE ODHIAMBO

You just pulled a 12-hour shift at work, battled that two-hour-long traffic to get home with a promise that once your head hits that pillow, you are a goner. Three hours later, you are still seated in bed struggling to close your eyes, tossing and turning. You finally catch some zzz around 3 in the morning and just before you fully close your eyes, your alarm is blaring.

Whether you struggle to fall asleep or can’t seem to stay that way, this could be a hint of a sleep disorder.

Most of us look forward to a peaceful sleep full of sweet dreams after a long day of adulting. But it’s not a reality for everyone. You dread darkness and are terrified of falling asleep because of nightmares. You fear that one of these days you will hurt yourself while having an episode.

By definition, a sleep disorder is a condition that frequently impacts your ability to get quality sleep. They are chronic and cause sleep deprivation which eventually interferes with everyday life and overall health.

Sleep experts say that sleep difficulties are linked to different problems but the most common is emotional and physical.

Some of the most common sleep disorders include;

SLEEP TERROR

Do you know that dream where you are falling but never hit the ground? Or you are constantly being chased by a crowd that wants to burn you to a crisp? Or being caught up in the middle of a terror attack? Either way, it terrifies you to the bone. Well, these are way worse.