SPD related disorders can be quite a weight for the patient, but also a relief when they are diagnosed or even just suspected. Giving the disorder a name makes finally tangible what was before often either ignored or even attributed as character deficits. That said, not everyone experiencing dysfunctions suffers of a SPD related disorder. In some cases there are other factors at play, which make the state of health appearing like being affected by a severe disorder, but can actually be explained without having to resort to any deeper neurological considerations.
Sleep
Whether it is anxiety, CFS/ME, DSPD or any other disorder, sleep is always affected. It’s why it always has to be your #1 priority when tackling the symptoms. Sleep is of such a major importance for the mental and physiological well-being every person that even without any deeper neurological issue, short phases poor sleep can have detrimental health consequences. A proper sleep hygiene is therefore non-negotiable. Poor or lack of sleep can only be accepted as exception, whereas the older we become, the less tolerant we become for a night with poor sleep.
The single worst problem in connection with sleep is sleep apnea, which means that the patient is suffrocating multiple times during the sleep, impart for several minutes. This is very toxic for body and mind, as it erodes the very basis of our well-being. Before jumping to the conclusion that and SPD related disorder is the cause of all problems, both sleep apnea and other sleep related issues like an irregular sleep rhythm must be checked and treated if necesary. Only then, if there are still relevant symptoms present, it is time to consider a SPD related disorder as explanation for the dysfunction.
Behavior
As biological entities, we are in constant interaction with our environment which we influence and to which we adapt. This permanent adaption process includes maladaption, which over time can aggregate and influence our state negatively. We often don’t notice when the maladaption sets in, but it builds up over time and finally expresses itself in unexpected ways. For instance when spending too much time inside we get too little sunlight, which leads to fatigue, a loss of rhythm and a susceptibility to infections.
Equally, the lack of fitness can become problematic, because just as muslces shape our body and posture, so does their absense. Lack of fitness often comes with too much weight, wich leads to a constant strain on organs, inflamation in the joints, a worsening sleep position, and in some cases to sleep apnea. Lastly, our lifestyle invites to coping with stimulants. Coffee, cigarettes, alcohol and other drugs may have their attraction, but they also come with negative consequences for a person’s health, possibly causing symptoms associated with SPD without an underlying disorder.
Environmental
Besides active interactions with the environment, there are also entirely passive influences, which can make us sick. Mold is one of the most prominent and damaging causes for severe health problems leading to SPD related symptoms, and it becomes especially problematic, when the bedroom is affected, in which we spend around one third of our time. Similar to mold are toxic chemicals or even lead, which can still be existent to a relevant degree in some houses, workplaces or neightborhoods. On a general level, it’s the lack of sufficient air quality, which can have detrimental consequences, and even if it’s just too much humidity in the bedroom.
Other external negative influences can come from furniture, especially the bed and its mattress, but even shoes can be problematic, if they force an adverse posture on the body. The overall impact can be small, but it can still be enough to bring a complex system like the human body out of balance. Another environmental problem can be the wrong lighting at home or at the workplace. The body is adapted to the natural environment and light is one of the main sensory influences of our phsyiological system. Depending on the wave spectrum, light acts as zeitgeber telling the body what time it is and if the body is confused in this regard, it will start producing time-related errors.
Other health
While some health issues leading to SPD related symtoms can be subsummized as behaviroal, other undetected health problems can be the underlying cause for the issues as well. The simplest is perhaps a lack of vitamins and minerals, which can lead to poor health with severe symptoms in a situation with prolonged malnutrition. Equally, medication can lead to unintended side-effects, especially when they are taken continuously and have a strong impact on the patient’s state. Just as the effect can be strong, so can be the side-effect, especially when the patient starts adapting to the medicated state in a way that changes the effect pattern of the medication.
Other relatively harmless heath issues can include intolerances or allergies to foods or chemicals, which are considered save for the human biology. Sometimes the adverse effect of substances come with a delay, which makes it hard to identify them as culprit for symptoms. Therefore it is advised to check for intolerances and alergies even if there are no direct symptoms present. Lastly, there are severe diseases which can show themselves with symptoms associated with SPD. Thyroid problems are common, or a chronic infectious disease harming the immune system. These should be checked before resporting to an SPD related disorder as explanation.
Stress factors
The last but not least area to check for is stress. The emotional side of life makes up half of our well-being and can severely impact our health. This includes personal relationships as well as the financial situation, and also educational or career stress. The fewest enjoy the luxury of a life without peaks and lows, and sometimes this rollercoaster can be too stressful to bear. Stress and time management skills are needed and sometimes also the strength to say no to an obligation or chance in order to remain healthy. Otherwise stress becomes permanent, on which the mental health starts suffering and the physiological balance goes into disarray. This is usually when SPD related symptoms appear, but completely without deeper neurological issues, except for the stress which are causing them.