About sleep problems
From time to time everyone has a poor sleep. You cannot fall asleep, you sleep too short, you wake up regularly or you wake up too early. Usually this is temporary and caused by a short period of tension or stress. Even if it only happens occasionally, poor sleep can affect you the next day. You may be less able to concentrate, more forgetful, tired and easily irritated.
However, if you regularly do not sleep well for a longer period of time, you may have a sleep disorder. Your body and mind are then unable to recover and relax properly, which can affect your daily life. Sleep problems can lead to physical and mental complaints, memory problems, reduced work performance, tension in relationships and even dangerous situations.
Think of traffic accidents because you react too late or fall asleep behind the wheel. Or accidents at work when you are tired and less alert around machines. If you have a sleep disorder, it is wise to seek help.
What are the symptoms of sleep disorders?
Symptoms vary depending on the severity and type of sleep disorder. General symptoms of sleep disorders can include:
- You have trouble falling asleep.
- You regularly wake up during the night and do not fall asleep again quickly.
- You wake up very early in the morning and cannot go back to sleep.
- You have slept enough hours, but the quality of your sleep is poor.
Possible consequences include:
- Fatigue during the day and lack of energy
- Listlessness
- Reduced performance at work or school
- Concentration problems
- Reduced responsiveness
- A strong urge to take naps during the day
- Falling asleep while reading or watching television
- Drinking too much coffee to fight fatigue
- Irritability or anxiety
- Depression
- Weight gain
Insomnia
The symptoms above include the signs of insomnia, one of the most common sleep disorders. With insomnia, you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. In general, you do not get enough sleep or your sleep is not refreshing enough to feel rested during the day.
There are around eighty different sleep disorders, ranging from snoring, teeth grinding, sleepwalking, sleep apnea and sleep attacks to jet lag, a disturbed biological clock, restless legs syndrome and nightmares.
Causes of sleep problems
It is not always easy to find the exact cause of a sleep problem. Usually it is a combination of factors, such as:
- Physical problems, especially pain
- Mental health issues such as depression, burnout or anxiety
- Tension or stress at work or in your private life
- The death of a loved one
- Noise pollution
- An uncomfortable bedroom, for example too warm, not dark enough or an uncomfortable mattress
- Breathing disorders such as sleep apnea
- Frequent or excessive use of stimulants such as caffeine or alcohol
- Side effects of medication
- Working in shifts
If you are very concerned about your sleep, this can also create a sleep problem or make an existing one worse. For example, if you worry because you are not getting the so-called normal eight hours of sleep and think something is wrong, that worry itself can lead to poor sleep.
The number of hours of sleep a person needs varies greatly. Although people often say that everyone needs eight hours of sleep per night, this is not true for everyone. Age, nutrition and the level of physical and mental activity all influence how much sleep you need. What is enough for one person may not be enough for another.
Treatment of sleep problems
During treatment, we look for the cause of your sleep problems, what exactly is bothering you and how this affects your daily life. We also analyse your sleep pattern and examine which lifestyle factors may be maintaining or worsening your sleep problems. For example, we look at tension, habits, eating patterns and whether you get enough exercise.
We also examine whether you may be dealing with other mental health issues, such as depression or an anxiety disorder. Poor sleep can be both a cause and a consequence of psychological complaints.
Therapy can also help if your insomnia is caused by a major life event that is difficult to process, such as the death of a loved one, a divorce or losing your job.
Please read our Sleep problems treatment page if you would like to know how we can help you with your insomnia.
Contact Psychologen Amsterdam
Do you recognize your symptoms and do you need help or do you just have a question about the treatment of your sleep problems? Then call for an appointment or send a message to Psychologen Amsterdam.
