Sleep disorder is often related to not having a good night's sleep. But now there is a new disorder that might affect people if they're too obsessed with getting a perfect sleep. The disorder dubbed as orthosomnia occurs mostly in people who are trying to track their sleep with the help of fitness tracker devices.
In a study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine last year, researchers mentioned: "'Orthosomnia,' with 'ortho' meaning straight or correct, and 'somnia' meaning sleep".
"The use of wearable sleep tracking devices is rapidly expanding and provides an opportunity to engage individuals in the monitoring of their sleep patterns," the researchers said.
It is estimated that around 10 percent of US adults use a fitness/ sleep tracking device on a regular basis and 50 percent would like to purchase one.
"However, there are a growing number of patients who are seeking treatment for self-diagnosed sleep disturbances such as insufficient sleep duration and insomnia due to periods of light or restless sleep observed on their sleep tracker data," the report reads.
According to National Sleep Foundation, here are a few things one can do to get a good night's sleep:
- Proper sleep schedule is to be followed. People often tend to oversleep, on weekends, but it is better not to do so
- It's better to avoid naps, especially in the afternoon
- Exercising can also help in getting a good night's sleep, however, vigorous exercise is better in this case. Light exercise wouldn't help much
- A noise-free environment is better for a good sleep. So, bedrooms should free from all kind of noise when sleeping
- People often tend to ignore this factor, but sleeping on a comfortable mattress and pillows help in getting good sleep
- It's better to avoid heavy and spicy meals before bedtime. It can cause discomfort from indigestion, disturbing the sleep
- Our bodies need time to shift into sleep mode. So, it's better to do some calming activity such as reading, before sleeping. Using electronic devices such as a laptop or mobile phones can make it hard to fall asleep. People who suffer from troubled sleep should avoid electronics before bed or in the middle of the night
- If sleep trackers lead to sleep-related anxiety, it's better to stop tracking it for a while
Typically, an adult requires seven to nine hours of sleep per night, but it depends on a range of various factors. However, people following sleep trackers become more inclined to believe only on the data provided by the trackers, ignoring the other factors.
