Do you find it difficult to fall asleep at night? Perhaps you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep? These may be tell-tale symptoms of sleep disorders.

We all experience trouble with sleep every now and then, especially if we’re feeling stressed or anxious. Getting good quality sleep is imperative for our general wellbeing, so if you’re struggling to get enough sleep, it can have a really adverse effect on your life.

If you’re experiencing regular interruption to your sleep, you might have a sleeping disorder. Luckily there are lots of ways to address the problem.

Do I have a sleeping disorder?

Sleeping disorders are common but vary in severity. Perhaps the most common of all sleep disorders is insomnia – characterised as an inability to sleep or get good-quality sleep.

Common symptoms of insomnia include:

• Difficulty getting off to sleep
• Trouble getting back to sleep after waking in the night
• Frequently waking up throughout the night
• Lethargy during the day
• Feeling unrefreshed in the morning
• You feel you need something (like sleeping pills) to get to sleep

There are other medical conditions related to a lack of sleep, including:

Sleep apnoea (you stop breathing until you wake up in a start)

Restless leg syndrome (an irresistible need to move the legs)

Narcolepsy (a chronic sleep disorder; overwhelming daytime sleepiness, sudden attacks of sleep).

I think I have a sleeping disorder

There’s a range of therapeutic approaches that can help treat your sleeping disorder without reliance on drugs, from mindfulness training and meditation to addressing processes of cognitive behavioural change or exploring how diet can help overcome the problem.

Therapy on your terms

Get face-to-face, online help from a highly-qualified therapist who can help you regain control.