Sleep misperception also known as paradoxical insomnia is a newly discovered type of insomnia. There are fewer cases of people suffering from sleep misperception, though a very common one, compared to other types of insomnia. Well, first of all what is insomnia? Insomnia is a common sleeping disorder faced by many people around the globe and can occur to any age group.
A person who seems to be lying about not sleeping the entire night, even though they were caught snoring, is telling the truth. This phenomenon is called Sleep Misperception.
People particularly suffering from sleep misperception overly underestimate the duration of their sleeping hours. For example, a person appears to be sleeping for long hours, and even is found to be snoring, when wakes up, complaints about not having sufficient sleep or sometimes claims that he/she didn’t even sleep a wink. They tend to over exaggerate about not having enough sleep, but trust them, it’s not their fault and they are not lying when they say they are sleep deprived.
In such cases of sleep misperception, the brain actually sleeps without its knowledge. The person’s breathing might be deep and regular while sleeping. People with this disorder have increased brain activity and dreamless sleeps, while being extremely conscious of their surroundings, yet claiming that they have not slept at all. So, if a person you know faces the same issue, don’t get frustrated about their exaggeration and understand the insomnia properly.
Treatment:
- Maintain a regular sleep cycle. Sleep at the same time in the night, and wake up at the same time in the morning everyday.
- Avoid depression and do not stress yourself out thinking about the issues and problems you are going through.
- Avoid negative thoughts or scenarios in your brain and mind especially in the night before going to sleep or while in bed.
- Consult a doctor if you face sleep misperception for more than 2 months. The doctor may treat you with sedative hypnotics or electroconvulsive treatment is recommended for more depressed patients.
This disorder can be identified easily if you have a bed partner who notices and observes your sleepless nights complaints and is aware of this sleep misperception insomnia. Sambav brings awareness to its readers of the most common, yet unknown phenomena. Check out the Sambav’s Health Wallet App for more features!
