What are sleep disorders?

We all have trouble falling asleep from time to time, especially if we are feeling particularly stressed. However, regularly getting good quality sleep is so important, as while we rest, our bodies physically and mentally restore themselves, allowing us to function in our busy lives. If sleep problems are a regular occurrence, you may be suffering from a sleep disorder, and left untreated, this can have a really harmful impact on your day to day functioning. One of the most common types of sleep disorder is insomnia which is characterised by an inability to sleep or sleep well at night.

Some common symptoms of insomnia include:

• Difficulty falling asleep at night or getting back to sleep after waking during the night
• Waking up frequently during the night
• You need to take something (sleeping pills for example) in order to get to sleep
• Sleepiness and low energy in the day
• Sleep feels unrefreshing and you wake up feeling tired and low in energy
• There are also other types of sleep disorder such as sleep apnoea, restless leg syndrome and narcolepsy.

If you feel that the above applies to you, therapy can greatly help to improve your ‘sleep hygiene’ and your therapist can teach you effective strategies for managing your sleep.

Which therapies might help?

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

The high calibre team at My Online Therapy are likely to offer you a psychological assessment to understand the origins of your sleep difficulties and then develop the best treatment plan with you.