Sleep Disorders vs. Poor Sleep Habits

You've again spent the whole night tossing and turning. Your eyes are red and tired; you are of the opinion that you are simply 'not a morning person' so you reach for your fifth cup of tea before noon. Quite a few of us can relate to this situation and would attribute it to a late-night Netflix binge or excessive caffeine. But what if the reason for your insomnia is not just bad sleeping habits but rather a legitimate sleep disorder?

It is very important to comprehend the difference between the two. One consists of bad choices which can be corrected with the help of self-control, while the other is a medical condition that demands professional assistance.

Not treating a genuine sleep disorder can have a very negative impact on your health, mood, and safety in the long term. Therefore, instead of merely shrugging persistent tiredness off, it would be much better to learn the main differences between bad habits and a legitimate medical issue.

What Are Sleep Habits (or 'Sleep Hygiene')?

The term sleep hygiene may sound rather technical, but it is really just a more elaborate way of saying the things you do and the surroundings you keep that are related to sleep. Proper sleep hygiene means creating a good night sleep routine that makes it easier for both body and mind to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Poor sleep habits actions that are doing the opposite of allowing your natural sleep-wake cycle to run smoothly. These are the barriers that you put on yourself to a peaceful sleep. In case sleeplessness is what you are suffering from due to these bad choices, then you are surely the one who gets guided by the poor habits:

Irregular Sleeping Hours: Hitting the pillow and getting up at drastically different hours, mainly during weekdays and weekends (it is called social jetlag).

The Boss's Bed: Doing your work, watching TV, eating, or scrolling on social media in bed. Your mind should only relate your bedroom to sleep and sex.

Nighttime Stimulants: Having caffeine or nicotine just before sleeping. They are potent stimulants that remain in your system for hours.

Blue Light Exposure: Watching your phone, tablet, or TV until the minute you turn off the light. The blue light deceives your brain into believing it's still daytime, thus melatonin (the sleep hormone) is not released.

Large Meals and Alcohol: Eating a big meal or drinking alcohol just before bed. Alcohol might put you to sleep, but it breaks your sleep later at night and consequently you end up with poor quality sleeping time.

If you change these habits and your sleeping problem gets solved quickly, then your issue was probably due to lack of self-control and not a sleep disorder.

The Root Cause: Habit vs. Biology

This is the key distinction in this case. Whenever you are faced with the dilemma of distinguishing between a habit and a disorder, it is essential to unearth the root cause.

The Habit-Driven Problem

In the case of poor sleep habits, the reason is in the outside world and activities. Your body has the potential to sleep well but you are actively messing up that natural ability. You are preventing yourself from taking a long rest. The difficulty is to be dealt with by bringing about gradual changes in the routine in a very deliberate manner.

The Disorder-Driven Problem

Sleep disorder, in the very sense of the term, refers to a chronic medical or neurologic condition that keeps you from getting healthy sleep even when everything else is perfect. The cause is within and often consists of complications like:

Brain Chemistry: Underlying problems with the neurochemicals that regulate the sleep-wake cycle.

Physiological Problems: a medical problem such as airway obstruction or a movement disorder.

For instance, a person suffering from a severe sleep disorder like Chronic Insomnia might go to bed at a fixed time every night, read a book in a cool, dark room, and avoid all caffeine, yet still be unable to fall asleep. That inability, despite optimal conditions, points toward a disorder.

Other Common Sleep Disorders

Usually, people link sleep disorders with insomnia (a condition that makes it hard to get to or stay asleep). However, there are a few other common sleep disorders that have no connection with poor sleeping habits and can even be dangerous if half-heartened treatment or ignored.

Sleep Apnoea (or Apnea): This is a disorder that is dangerous and very serious, indeed, wherein breathing completely ceases and then resumes over and over during sleep. The most frequently encountered type is Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA), and here the throat muscles relax to the point that the air is completely blocked. Loud snoring, gasping for air, and feeling tired throughout the day because of constantly interrupted sleep even with eight-hour bed time are the symptoms OSA sufferers have. A medical problem that is usually treated with CPAP machines is the one we are talking about.

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS): The condition shows up as an insatiable desire to get up and walk around, and the patient will often complain of having itchy, crawling, or tingling sensations in the legs. The patient typically experiences such symptoms at bedtime or while resting, and this leads to a lot of sleepless nights.

Narcolepsy: A rare but serious brain disorder causing extreme sleepiness during the day and sudden nighttime sleep episodes. It is an issue related to the brain's inability to regulate the sleep-wake cycles.

Circadian Rhythm Disorders: the category of these disorders indicates that the internal biological clock of yours (sleepy and awake feelings controller) is unfavourable to your surroundings. This is more than just having a hard time getting up on a Monday morning; it's a habitual delay or advance in your sleep time that severely restricts your social or professional functioning.

When to See Your GP

It's easy to dismiss persistent tiredness as "just life," but sleep is fundamental to your physical and mental health. Long-term lack of sleep susceptibility runs high for chronic diseases (like hypertension, diabetes, depression) as well as accidents.

Now, here is a very simple principle to follow:

Whenever your sleeping problem persists for a while of about three months or more, three nights a week at the least, and after having done the strict sleeping hygiene for two weeks you find no improvement you need to see your GP.

Your doctor will check for the presence of certain medical conditions (like a hyperactive thyroid or stress) and might suggest you participate in a sleep research project to get diagnosed with disorders like sleep apnoea or to receive an appropriate therapy, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), which is the most effective for chronic sleep issues.

Do not keep quiet suffering or just consider it a lack of willpower. Taking control of your sleep is one of the most proactive measures you can take regarding your long-term health. Good sleep should not be regarded as a luxury but rather as a right.

Conclusion

The difference boils down to being quite straightforward yet crucial. Bad sleeping patterns are outside hurdles that can be eliminated with hard work and self-control, whereas a sleep disorder is an inside medical condition that continues regardless of your good sleeping practices.

If after a few weeks the problem is still there, it is better not to just 'tough it out', you should consult your GP. Identifying a mental health issue and getting professional assistance is the only way to stop the cycle of tiredness and get back the healing sleep that your body requires for good health and wellness in the long run.