What Robs You Of A Good Nights Sleep
Risk factors associated with abnormal and unhealthy sleep include older age, being female, and having medical and psychiatric conditions. The increased risk in the elderly is not clearly understood but is hypothesized to be due to the weakening of sleep regulating and other bodily systems that come with age. Chronic illnesses also present as significant factors for insomnia.
In women, the quality of sleep is found to be significantly impacted by the onset of menses and menopause. Although not an independent cause for insomnia, working night or rotating shifts have also been shown to result in insufficient and low quality sleep in those who are already predisposed.
The Dangerous Correlation Between Sleep Apnea And Ptsd
Post-traumatic anxiety disorder is an anxiety disorder that may develop in those who have been exposed to psychological or physical injury. Any traumatic event, wherein one is confronted with the fear of dropping their lifetime or losing someone or something extremely precious to him/her, may behave as the triggering factor for PTSD. Injuries, natural calamities, torture, domestic abuse or sexual abuse are a few of the kinds of events which could leave an indelible mark on the mind. Memories of this traumatic event could haunt the victims, which makes it quite hard for them to lead a normal life. Their ideas may center around that specific occasion and they might find themselves reliving that occasion in the kind of nightmares or flashbacks. This may influence ones sleep routine. In reality, studies have shown that a vast majority of individuals afflicted by post-traumatic anxiety disorder suffer from sleep disorders. In the following guide, well look in the link between sleep apnea and PTSD.
The two PTSD and sleep apnea may be treated, but its very important that those requirements are diagnosed at an early period. While sleep apnea may lead to sleep deprivation, and result in significant complications, PTSD could make a critical effect on the ability to lead a normal life. Its thus crucial the signals of these conditions are known at an early phase and the necessary steps are required to relieve the signs.
Who Needs A Good Nights Sleep
Both common sense and science say that sleep is absolutely essential for optimal health. It plays a critical role in the healthy functioning of the cardiovascular, hormonal, and immune systems. Sleep is needed in regulating brain function, memory, metabolism, and appetite. Sadly, not everyone gets a good nights sleep.
A normal and healthy sleep pattern should be free from conditions that disrupt its regularity and appropriate timing, as well as be of good quality and sufficient duration. A good nights sleep makes you feel refreshed upon waking.;
Certain conditions like PTSD and sleep apnea, however, rob you of this.
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What Can Cause Ptsd
Any situation or experience that is life-threatening for you or someone else can lead to;PTSD. These traumatic events include;military experiences and combat, a physical or sexual assault, learning about an unexpected or violent injury or death of a loved one, a serious accident, a natural disaster, a terrorist attack, or;child abuse. The event might be something that happens to you or it could also be something you witnessed happening to someone else. These types of trauma typically involve a complete loss of control over the events, and people usually feel significant fear.
Change Your Sleeping Area
Examine your sleeping area to make sure its conducive to restful sleep. If your bedroom has too much activity, noise, or light, you may not be able to rest well. Create a quiet and comfortable sleeping area. Research mattress reviews to find a mattress that fits your sleep needs. Clinicians recommend that you use your bedroom for sleeping or sex only: Do not watch television or listen to the radio in your bedroom. Block out all light to ensure that the bedroom is dark. Keep the temperature cool for optimal sleeping. Some people sleep better with a white noise machine providing constant background noise, which also helps to block out other noises.
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Trauma And Sleep Frequently Asked Questions
Sleep trauma can often cause displays of hypervigilance which is a heightened awareness state the body causes to prevent additional harm. This makes it very difficult to fall and stay asleep.
The hypervigilance often caused by trauma can make people feel tired because the deepest phases of sleep are limited; these are generally the most restorative phases.
How Those With Ptsd Can Get To Sleep
Medication-Free Ways To Get Sleep
When you have PTSD, it is especially important to find ways to fall asleep without the use of any potentially harmful substances.;
There are many ways that you find sleep naturally without the use of any medications or drugs. These are some of our favorites.
Coping Strategies for PTSD
Creating A Sleep-Friendly Environment
Resources For PTSD Mental Health Assistance
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How Are Sleep Problems Treated
If your sleep is disturbed, sleep hygiene techniques such as those listed below will help improve your sleep. However, if these don’t work for you, you may have developed a sleep disorder, such as insomnia. If you have a mental health condition, you need to treat the insomnia as a separate condition.;
Talk to a counsellor or therapist, preferably one who specialises in sleep disorders. They can help you address any underlying issues contributing to your mental health condition, such as trauma. They will also use cognitive behaviour therapy for insomnia ;to help you improve your sleep.
Intrusive Thoughts And Memories
An intrusive thought is a distressing or disturbing thought that you cant seem to shake off. Its an unwanted thought that may be recurrent. When it comes to PTSD, the intrusive thought will have to do with your memory of a traumatic event. If your PTSD is caused by a period of high stress, intrusive thoughts may involve multiple events. You may also experience thoughts that cause you to relieve the trauma as if it were happening now, called a flashback. Nightmares that disrupt your sleep or make it difficult to fall asleep are also common.
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Does Sleep Apnea Treatment Help Ptsd
One of the interesting effects of comorbid disorders is that treatment for one condition affects the other. Treatment of OSA has been found to improve depression, anxiety, and quality of life, among other symptoms of PTSD.;
Sometimes, sleep apnea in people affected by PTSD can be difficult to treat. Masks from CPAP machines, a common sleep apnea treatment method, can cause claustrophobia. However, the use of mouthpieces, or Oral Appliance Therapy, designed for sleep apnea has been found to treat symptoms of OSA without negative effects.
Additional File : Supplement 1
Assessment of Traumatic Event Exposure. Supplement 2. Sleep Items on the First Daily Assessment. Supplement 3. Description of the Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Larger Sample. Supplement 4a. Comparison of Within-Subjects Covariance Structure. Supplement 4b. Table of;Model Specification on Within-Subjects Residuals and Decomposition of Variance. Supplement 5. Final Model Predicting PTSS by Multiple Sleep Variables.
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Dr Elissa Mccarthy Explains Why Sleep Is Important
Poor sleep may lead to:
- Slow reaction time
- Trouble with learning and memory
- Feeling irritable and mood problems
- Trouble with thinking and concentration
- Thinking about suicide or acting in ways that self-harm
Also, sleep problems that last a long time are related to medical problems such as heart disease, depression, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and stroke.
Tips For Better Sleep
Many lifestyle tips for coping with depression can also improve sleep. Tips for targeting sleep issues often focus on improving sleep hygiene , which are behaviors that have been shown to benefit sleep health:
- Exercise More: Getting sufficient exercise improves sleep quality , makes it easier to fall asleep, and reduces daytime sleepiness.
- Maintain a Consistent Sleep Schedule: Going to sleep and getting up at the same time every day may help sync your drive to sleep and your circadian rhythm. Since irregular sleep schedules are associated with daytime sleepiness and lower sleep quality, its important to maintain a consistent sleep schedule even on the weekends.
- Reserve the Bed For Sleep and Sex: People who use their bed for activities other than sleeping may begin to associate their bedroom with these unhelpful habits. One behavioral approach to treating insomnia is to restrict the bed to only two activities : sleep and sex.
- Create a Nighttime Routine: Before bed, give yourself some time to wind down and relax. Turn off the TV, silence your cell phone, and find activities that help you ease into bed. Some people find reading, journaling, or taking a warm bath before bed to be helpful.
- Revamp Your Bedroom: Making sure that your bedroom is optimized for sleep can make a big difference. Reduce noise and light that may keep you awake, make sure the bedroom temperature is comfortable, and consider bedroom scents to help you relax.
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Sample Demographics And Descriptive Statistics
Mean age of participants was 38.6 . Approximately half were male, the majority were white , and 47.5% had a Bachelors degree or higher . Mean PTSS score was 67.1 . The mean sleep duration per night was 5.3 , mean number of awakenings was 2.6 , and mean sleep quality rating was 1.4 . The mean of trouble falling asleep was 0.53 and mean of difficulty staying asleep was 0.36 .
Table 1 Sample Demographics and Descriptive Statistics, N=61
Sleep Disturbances Associated With Ptsd
Following traumatic experiences, sleep complaints are common. Subjective and objective sleep disturbances are associated with an increased risk of meeting PTSD diagnostic criteria,7 and insomnia and nightmares are core diagnostic features of PTSD.1 Sleep terrors, sleep avoidance, nocturnal anxiety, acting out dreams, and increased motor behaviors and vocalizations are also frequently reported by PTSD patients.8,9 These sleep disturbances are known to exacerbate daytime symptoms and contribute to worsened clinical outcomes.10,11 This stresses the importance of monitoring for the development of sleep disturbances in patients with trauma history and the role they may have as mediators for clinical outcomes in PTSD. Sleep disturbances in this population are often resistant to first-line PTSD treatment.12 Sleep-specific interventions are commonly employed to alleviate insomnia and nightmares. Effective treatment has been associated with improved daytime PTSD symptoms, depression, quality of life and subjective physical health.13,14,15
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Dr Elissa Mccarthy Describes How Cbt
What is “sleep hygiene” Is it the same as CBT-I?
Sleep hygiene includes various practices and habits that are important for good sleep. It includes tips to change behaviors that may interfere with sleep. For example, you may limit beverages with caffeine before bedtime to fall asleep more easily. Or, you may find that you need to adjust your sleep environmentsuch as limiting smartphone use or television viewing in bedto be more comfortable. CBT-I, on the other hand, is a more focused treatment for chronic insomnia. Sleep hygiene is not the same as CBT-I treatment, but it is often included as a part of CBT-I.
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What Other Sleep Problems Affect People With Ptsd
Sleep apnea is common among people with PTSD, particularly in Veterans. Sleep apnea is a breathing problem that disrupts normal sleep. People with sleep apnea may wake up not feeling rested and struggle with feeling tired or needing to sleep during the daytime.
Being aware of sleep apnea can be difficult. There are many causes of fatigue or feeling tired during the day. Also, with sleep apnea, breathing pauses happen during sleep, so a person may be unaware of those symptoms. Often a bed partner notices those breathing changes or snoring first.
To diagnose sleep apnea, a provider may recommend a sleep study. Treatment can include lifestyle changes and use of a breathing devicecontinuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP machineat night. Research suggests that for those with PTSD and sleep apnea, using a CPAP device may benefit PTSD treatment.
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Start Getting Your Life Back
If youre affected by sleep apnea and PTSD, your life may feel out of your hands. At Encino Center for Sleep & TMJ disorders, we offer various sleep apnea treatments so you can sleep soundly through the night.
To learn more about how we can help you and your treatment options, . Whether you need a mouthguard, CPAP, or lifestyle changes, Dr. Simmons is an experienced dentist who can help you find what you need.
How Do You Get A Good Nights Sleep Back
The first step to healing is to acknowledge that you have a problem. The second is to get help from appropriate and licensed professionals. In order to get back on your feet, you need to consult a medical healthcare professional to assist you with the physical and psychological problems that rob you of a good nights sleep.;
When you visit a healthcare professional, you can expect them to do an assessment for the purposes of determining what is it you are going through. As we have shown, PTSD and sleep issues have multiple complex layers to work through.; For patients with PTSD and have sleep disturbances, several interrelated assessment procedures may be undertaken.;
It is also important to note that since your sleeping pattern will be assessed for a period of time, it; may help if you start putting down into writing your complaints and observations about your experiences with PTSD and sleep. In this step, the activities you engage in before going to sleep, while asleep, and moments right after waking will need to be observed and documented.;
For this procedure, you may request assistance from your partner, family, or someone you have a close relationship with to help you keep track of the different sleeping parameters that you may be experiencing especially when you reach the deep sleep phase. A healthcare facility may also have specialized personnel and equipment for this purpose as well.
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What Is The Best Treatment For Sleep Problems
The best treatment for insomnia is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia, or CBT-I. This talk therapy is recommended over medication because it is more effectiveCBT-I has been shown to work in multiple research studiesand has fewer side effects than medication. CBT-I improves sleep in 7 out of 10 people who complete it. Research also shows that CBT-I reduces how many nightmares people have and the distress related to upsetting dreams.
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The Link Between Ptsd And Sleep Apnea
Related Reading
Sleep-disordered breathing can be a sign of untreated OSA, which is associated with worse symptoms of PTSD, as well as an increased risk of heart failure, dementia, and certain cancers. Sleep-disordered breathing is present in 95% of individuals who evacuated a fire, and 91% of victims who experienced consecutive crimes.
Veterans are up to three times more likely; to have PTSD. Men, who represent a larger percentage of the veteran population, are also more likely to have sleep apnea. According to one study, 69% of Vietnam veterans with PTSD also had sleep-disordered breathing.
Among the general population, the risk for sleep apnea increases with age. However, young veterans with PTSD may have an outsized risk for their age group. One study found that 69% of young Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans screened positive for OSA.
Individuals with PTSD who also experience sleep problems such as OSA are likely to experience more severe depression, a higher suicide risk, increased substance abuse, and a poorer quality of life. Individuals who develop OSA before age 70 also have an increased risk of early death.
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How Can I Improve My Sleep To Help My Mental Health
There are several things you can do to help your body naturally go to sleep and for your sleep to be of good quality so you wake feeling refreshed. Good sleep starts long before you go to bed. What you do during the day, as well as how you spend your evenings, can have a significant effect on whether you get a good night’s sleep. Read these sleep tips to help you improve your sleep to help your mental health.