Tell Us What's It Like To Live With A Sleep Disorder

Are you currently falling asleep at your desk?

Sleep is essential to our wellbeing but many of us, for a lot of different reasons, rarely get a solid night of ZZZs.

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And we're not just talking the occasional night of interrupted sleep or morning sleepiness.

Everyone has bad nights every now and then, but when you have trouble sleeping on a regular basis it starts affecting your daytime energy levels and more. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the most common sleep disorders are insomnia, sleep apnea (a disorder in which breathing is interrupted while sleeping), restless leg syndrome, and narcolepsy.

So, we want to know: What's it like living with a sleep disorder?

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For example, if you have narcolepsy you may have to take medication, keep a strict bedtime, and limit nights out with friends. Maybe these coping strategies drastically influence the friends you surround yourself with, your career options, or something else entirely.

Perhaps night terrors make you wake up screaming in the middle of the night, and consequently affect your dating life?

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If this is you, maybe this causes problems in your relationship, since night terrors are often more unsettling to the people watching them than to the ones experiencing them themselves. Or maybe it doesn't disrupt them at all because you've found a partner who sleeps like a tank! (Either way, we'd love to hear!)

Maybe you take HOURS to fall asleep and have had to organize your social life around your two-hour bedtime routine?

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A relaxing bedtime routine involving candles, a long bath, and a calming escapist book might do the trick for you.

Or maybe you find yourself excessively sleepy all the time, and need a job that lets you take scheduled naps during the day?

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Consistent mealtimes and half an hour of exercise in the mornings might also help!

Whatever sleep disorder you have, we want to know what it is AND what it's like to live with it. Share your experience in the comments below and you could be featured in an upcoming BuzzFeed Community post!