Introduction

• According to the Better Sleep Council, approximately 36 percent of Americans lose at least one night of sleep per week. Many lose nights of sleep even more frequently than that. This can be caused by a variety of factors ranging from stress to the environment the person is trying to sleep in. However, many sleepless nights are also caused by sleeping disorders.
  
  

Waking Hours

• One way that you can discover whether or not you have a sleep disorder is to take a moment to do a quick evaluation on how you feel during the day. Do you feel chronically tired? Do you feel like you have been up all night, even if you thought you got a good night's sleep? Does your tiredness interfere with your ability to pay attention at school or get things done at work? These are all signs that you may be struggling from a sleep disorder.
  
  

First Hour of Sleep

• You may also be able to tell if you have a sleeping disorder by looking at the first hour after you have shut your eyes to go to bed. If it takes you longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep on a consistent basis, you may have a sleeping disorder. It is common during stressful times for everyone to have a few nights per year where it takes longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep. However, if you experience this every night, or find yourself waking up during the first hour of sleep on a regular basis, this could be the sign of a sleeping disorder.
  
  

During the Night

• Sleeping disorders may also present evidence of their existence during the night. If your partner complains that you snore loudly and stop breathing during the night, this could be a sign of sleep apnea. If you wake up in the middle of the night screaming or scared, this may be a sign of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or another disorder that interferes with your sleeping habits. Kicking your mate during your sleep may also be a sign of a sleeping disorder called restless leg syndrome.
  
  

Wake Up

• You may also be able to discover a sleep disorder by how you feel when you wake up in the morning. If you feel groggy, or constantly wake up with a headache, you may have a sleeping disorder. Waking up with heartburn is also a sign of a sleeping disorder called nocturnal heartburn.