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Insomnia affects 30% to 40% of adults every year, resulting in headaches, daytime sleepiness, and increasing their risk of health problems like high blood pressure and heart disease. At Bellevue Psychiatry in Kennewick, Vancouver, Bellevue, and Kirkland, Washington, the team offers the gold standard treatment for insomnia: cognitive-behavioral therapy. Getting a good night’s sleep is vital for your health. Call the nearest office or use online booking to schedule an in-person or telehealth appointment today.
What are sleep disorders?
Sleep disorders are a group of conditions that interfere with the amount and quality of sleep. The most common sleep disorders are:
- Insomnia (difficulty falling or staying asleep)
- Narcolepsy (falling asleep uncontrollably during the day or suddenly losing muscle tone)
- Sleep apnea (briefly stop breathing multiple times an hour while sleeping)
- Restless legs syndrome (intense need to move legs together with uncomfortable leg sensations)
- Parasomnias (unusual behavior while falling asleep or when sleeping)
Parasomnias include behaviors like sleepwalking and night terrors.
What causes sleep disorders?
Sleep disorders like sleep apnea and restless legs have their own causes. However, mental health disorders are among the top causes of insomnia.
Insomnia and mental health disorders go hand in hand, with each one potentially causing the other. Conditions associated with insomnia include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Bipolar disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
Insomnia can also be caused by stress, drinking too much caffeine, chronic pain, thyroid disease, and heart disease.
What symptoms do sleep disorders cause?
The symptoms depend in part on the type of sleep disorder. For example, sleep apnea causes loud snoring, and restless legs cause an uncontrollable urge to move.
However, all sleep disorders disrupt your natural sleep cycles and prevent you from getting enough rest. As a result, they cause daytime symptoms such as:
- Excessive tiredness
- Headaches
- Irritability
- Memory loss
- Confusion
- Difficulty concentrating
- Mood changes
- Slow reactions
- Oppositional and hyperactive behaviors (in children)
- Falling asleep when you’re not active
Sleep disorders also increase the risk of having an accident while driving.
How are sleep disorders treated?
You’ll need treatment for any underlying conditions causing your sleep disorder. Otherwise, treatment options include medications, a medical device (like CPAP for sleep apnea), and therapy. The best one depends on the type of sleep disorder.
The experienced sleep experts at Bellevue Psychiatry use cognitive-behavioral therapy for treating insomnia (CBT-I). CBT-I, which takes about 6-8 sessions, is recommended as the first line of treatment.
CBT-I helps you overcome insomnia by improving your nighttime habits (sleep hygiene) and teaching you how to relax and overcome persistent thoughts that disrupt your sleep.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia also teaches steps like getting out of bed if you can’t sleep and using relaxation techniques.
Getting enough high-quality sleep is vital for your mental and physical health. If you have insomnia, get help by calling Bellevue Psychiatry or scheduling an appointment online today.