Sleep is an essential component to leading a healthy, happy and fulfilling life. Yet, a good night’s sleep is something adults, who typically require at least seven hours of sleep to function efficiently, take for granted.

Sleep disorders are becoming increasingly prevalent among adults, with recent studies suggesting that more than one-third of Americans are getting less than seven hours of sleep in a 24-hour period. While sleep disorders can affect anyone, veterans and active-duty military members are more susceptible to disordered sleeping, which can impair daily performance, as well as ongoing mental and physical health, both during and after service.

Sleep disorders common among veterans

During military service, veterans are exposed to a variety of stressful situations, from training and deployment to returning to civilian life, all of which can significantly disrupt sleep patterns. Sleep disorders can occur alone or together with other issues, and are often caused by stress, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use or issues with pain or medical disorders.

The most common sleep disorders experienced by veterans include:

Insomnia. Difficulty falling or staying asleep is the most common condition among veterans. Insomnia can affect a person’s overall mood and make other medical conditions more difficult to manage. Disturbed sleep can inhibit recovery or treatment plans for those dealing with substance use or mental health challenges. It is also often associated with increased suicide risk. Approximately 40% of veterans in primary care experience problems with insomnia, compared to 19% in the general population.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This common and serious sleep disorder is caused when a person stops breathing during sleep, which can severely damage mental and physical health. OSA may also increase the risk of high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes and depression.

Nightmares. Stress, anxiety, being overtired or an irregular sleep routine can increase the risk of nightmares, which lead to sleep loss and can result in daytime tiredness. Following severe stress or a traumatic event, veterans may experience the same nightmare repeatedly, creating long-term concerns.

Ways to manage sleep disorders

Effective treatment is available for those in need.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is the recommended first-line treatment approach for common sleep disorders. Incorporating a series of strategies focused on stimulus control, sleep restriction, cognitive restructuring and sleep hygiene, CBT-I can be delivered either in individual therapy or in a group setting with six to 10 patients. Treatment length is typically six sessions, but ranges from four to eight sessions for most patients.

Other treatment options include psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy (medication), holistic services, OSA medical devices, weight management and sleep hygiene. Developing and maintaining positive sleep habits is essential, and can be improved by the following:

• Limiting screen time before bed

•Refraining from taking naps late in the day

•Avoiding caffeine, nicotine or other stimulants in the evening

• Making the bedroom a calm, relaxing space

•Maintaining a regular sleep schedule

How to seek help

When sleep issues or the inability to sleep affect daily quality of life or cause mental or physical health symptoms, it’s time to seek support. If you or someone you know is in immediate need of help, call the David Lawrence Centers’ 24-hour phone line at 239.455.8500.

To learn more about the work DLC is doing to provide lifesaving and life-changing behavioral health care for those in need, visit dlcenters.org.

Michele Santora is a clinician at David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health, 6075 Bathey Lane, Naples.