Sleep can be hard to come by. Sometimes it even feels like a rare treat. When you find yourself struggling to fall asleep or stay asleep every time you lay your head down to rest, it’s more than possible you have a sleep disorder. Sleep apnea affects over 18 million Americans as we know it, causing people to miss out on the vital sleep needed to remain healthy and mentally sound. Not only can a lack of sleep on a constant basis affect your ability to concentrate, it can even increase your risk for debilitating health conditions. You don’t have to live with sleepless nights any longer.

Answer the basic questions below to get a better idea as to what you’re dealing with before you see a sleep aid professional. Lifestyle changes, nasal pillows CPAP masks or medication are just a few methods you can try to sleep better once more.

Can I Fall Asleep In Thirty Minutes Or Less?

It’s not normal to lay awake for hours and hours before drifting off. If you can’t fall asleep in 20 or 30 minutes it’s possible you have additional factors in your life affecting you on a deeper level. Insomnia is a sleep disorder that causes you to have a more troubling relationship with sleep, making you stay awake for hours or making it hard to drift off even when you’re exhausted to the bone. Sleep professionals see over three million collective cases of insomnia brought to their clinics every year.

Do I Find Myself Constantly Waking Up Throughout The Night?

You might find yourself having symptoms less indicative of insomnia and more like sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is best characterized by ‘apneas’, interruptions that get in the way of peaceful sleep and prevent you from achieving a healthy REM cycle. A sufferer of more obstructive sleep apnea may experience as many as 60 apneas per hour during an average night’s sleep. It’s estimated 2% to 4% of all Americans are living with an undiagnosed case of sleep apnea. That’s as many as one out of every 50 people.

Do I Wake Up Exhausted, Cranky And Sore?

Good sleep should leave you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. If you find yourself constantly waking up feeling worse than when you lay down, you need to see a sleep aid professional as soon as possible. Although we all have restless nights from time to time, not getting the required six to eight hours of sleep on a regular basis will have long-term consequences. Untreated sleep apnea sufferers are three times as likely to develop heart disease down the road. This is alongside a risk of stroke four times as high as those without a sleep disorder.

Do I Grind My Teeth, Clench My Shoulders Or Toss And Turn?

Other symptoms can provide you a bigger picture as to what you’re going through. Grinding your teeth at night is a common side-effect of anxiety. Clenching your fists or tensing your shoulders is a result of stress that isn’t being properly mitigated throughout the day (such as through relaxing hobbies or frequent breaks). Tossing and turning is commonly associated with poor mattress quality, which may or may not be contributing to your inability to get the rest you need. When all else fails, nasal pillows CPAP devices or a bipap mask can take the edge off your symptoms.

Do I Qualify For A CPAP Mask?

Sleep apnea sufferers can find relief in an auto CPAP machine. Short for ‘continuous positive airway pressure’, the best CPAP machine will open up an individual’s airway passages to encourage a more sound breathing cycle throughout the night. For the best possible results it’s suggested you use your nasal pillows CPAP devices or CPAP mask at least 70% of the time over the period of a month. This means at least four hours every night. Heated humidification can also ease troubled lungs and provide further comfort for more severe sleep apnea sufferers.

A sleeping disorder doesn’t have to define your every waking moment. Before you look up affordable nasal pillows CPAP materials, get a medical diagnosis by visiting a sleep aid professional.