Popular Science Article | Don’t panic when you have sleep disorders, rehabilitation can help a lot

Is not being able to sleep at night a sleep disorder?

What are the specific manifestations?

"It takes me a long time to fall asleep at night, and I wake up several times in the middle of the night. I sleep less than 6 hours a night."

"It's seriously affecting my energy and memory. I always have headaches and feel drowsy during the day, and I make mistakes at work. My boss can't stand it anymore."

It seems that you are suffering from *"sleep disorder"*.

What is a "sleep disorder"?

"Sleep disorders" include many types, this article only introduces insomnia disorders.

Insomnia

It refers to a subjective experience in which one is dissatisfied with sleep time and/or sleep quality despite having a suitable sleep opportunity and sleeping environment, which affects daytime function or causes physical discomfort.

Symptoms of sleep disorders

Can't sleep, wake up early, sleep poorly, tired during the day, irritable

Sleep latency exceeds 30 minutes

Awakenings ≥ 2 times throughout the night

Total sleep time is usually less than 6.5 hours

At least 3 times a week

With daytime dysfunction

Rehabilitation therapy for sleep disorders

Psychological-behavioral therapy

① Exercise therapy

②Sleep hygiene education

Please avoid smoking, drinking and drinking tea before going to bed

Improve sleeping environment and sleeping habits

Regular sleep

③ Music therapy

Relaxing, pleasant and soothing music

effect

Shifting the focus from sleep

Relieve anxiety

Relax

④Physical therapy

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation

Low-frequency stimulation of the bilateral dorsolateral frontal cortex and parieto-occipital area can reduce the excitability of the cerebral cortex and improve sleep.

Transcranial direct current stimulation

Applying low-intensity electric current to specific brain areas can reduce cortical excitability, produce sedative neurotransmitters, control anxiety, and improve sleep.

Light therapy

Influencing the secretion of melatonin by the pineal gland can help establish and consolidate a regular sleep-wake cycle and improve sleep in a natural and simple way.

⑤ Drug treatment

Clinical treatment of insomnia drugs mainly include benzodiazepine receptor agonists, melatonin receptor agonists, and antidepressants with hypnotic effects. Please take the medicine as prescribed by your doctor.

Sleep is an indispensable part of life.

May everyone stay away from "sleep disorders" and have a sweet night!

Author: Chen Chengchen, Song Lianxin, Su Bin

Unit: Mental Health Center Affiliated to Jiangnan University

Reviewer: Zhu Yi, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Vice Chairman of the Rehabilitation Therapy Committee of the Chinese Rehabilitation Medicine Association, and Leader of the Science Popularization Working Group