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Are you tossing and turning every night? Constantly struggling to fall asleep or stay asleep? If this sounds like you, there's a good chance you are one of the 70 million people impacted by sleep disorders in the United States. While these are clear signs of a sleep disorder, there are other subtle hints that many people miss that also indicate the presence of a potential sleep disorder like insomnia or sleep deprivation.
I have worked with hundreds of people in my offices to improve and restore their sleep using CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia.) Often there are some early warning signs of a sleep disorder like insomnia that people miss because they don't realize how much they are related to sleep. Here are the top 3 signs of a sleep disorder I have seen in my clients and patients that often go missed.
1. You're always hungry.
Even a slight amount of sleep loss or deprivation can wreak havoc on your metabolism and levels of hunger. Most of my patients and clients don't realize they are constantly hungry or unable to lose weight despite diet and exercise because sleep deprivation has rewired their brains. Sleep loss leads to concentrations of a hormone that makes you feel hungry while suppressing a companion hormone that usually tells you when you are full. The result? You never fell full not matter how much you eat. Want to learn more? Check out the video from the Young Turks below.
2. You use some form of marijuana before bed more than 4 times a week.
Speaking of the munchies...The most common sleep aid I find among most of my clients is not ZZquil or Ambien. It's weed. Many people I work worth don't realize they have relied on the intoxication effect of a vape pen or an edible with marijuana in it as a substitute for their actual sleep drive. The result? Many people find they have created a dependence on smoking before bed 4 or more times a week in order to fall asleep. In reality, marijuana is a low grade stimulant that actually speeds up one's heart rate and dehydrates you making it harder to fall and stay asleep despite its pleasant sensations.
3. You nod off when you sit for more than a minute.
One of the most tell-tale signs of a significant sleep disorder which most commuters miss is nodding off when they are sitting for more than a minute. We are all used to seeing people drifting off on the train or bus during the morning commute but you might not realize what you are seeing is the body going into survival mode due to sleep deprivation.
Yes. When you notice yourself drifting off after meals, sitting at your desk, or on the train, and you feel like you need a big cup of coffee to wake up, that means you are seriously sleep deprived. Continuing to pump your body full of caffeine to get through your day or taking naps throughout the day to catch up will only lead to worse insomnia down the road. What you are seeing is an emergency flare being put out by your body saying "Red Alert! Sleep levels are dangerously low and all non-vital systems are being turned off." This kind of pattern, where you are falling asleep when you sit still or become bored throughout your day, is the single best sign that you need to reach out for sleep support.
Here's the good news: When you are able to pick up on these signs you can seek out effective treatment from trained specialists. With the right support and treatment, any one can restore their sleep and live much more restful, successful lives.
