Description

Sleep disorders are conditions that change the way you sleep. If you have a sleep disorder, you may not be getting enough sleep or not feeling rested upon awakening. It may be very sleepy during the day. You may have changes in breathing or move around a lot during sleep. Or you may have problems getting to sleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early.

A sleep disorder can affect your overall health, safety, and quality of life. Not getting a good night of sleep can affect your ability to drive or to work safely. You can also increase the risk of other health problems. But treatment can help you get the sleep you need.

Symptoms

The symptoms of common sleep disorders include:

  • Being very sleepy during the day. You may fall asleep at times that are not typical, such as while driving or while working on your desktop.
  • Problems getting to sleep, waking up during the night and not being able to go back to sleep. Or you may wake up too early.
  • Breathing in a pattern that is not typical. This may include snoring, snorting, gasping, choking, or pause for breath.
  • Feeling an urge to move that is not comfortable while you're trying to get to sleep. Your legs or arms can feel tingling or bug.
  • Moving too much, or having movements that bother you during sleep, such as the arm and leg movements, or teeth grinding.
  • Activities during sleep that are not usual, such as sleepwalking, sleep, eat, or wetting the bed.

When to see a doctor

Anyone can have an occasional bad night of sleep. But talk with your doctor or other health care professional if you regularly have trouble getting enough sleep, if you don't feel rested when you wake up, or if it feels too much sleep during the day.

Causes

There are many different types of sleep disorders, and the causes vary widely. Sleep disorders are often grouped according to why they happen or its effects. Sleep disorders can also be grouped based on the behaviors, problems with your natural sleep-wake cycles, breathing problems, difficulty sleeping or sleepy you feel during the day.

Sometimes, the exact cause is not known, but there are several factors that can increase the risk of having a sleep disorder.

Risk factors

These problems can increase the risk of sleep disorders:

  • Age. Dream varies depending on age, and age may play a role in sleep disorders. Some sleep disorders, such as bed-wetting, may be more common in children. Other sleep disorders are more common with age.
  • Genetics. Have some sleep disorders, such as insomnia, restless legs syndrome, sleepwalking, and sleep apnea, may be more likely if a family member also has.
  • Medical conditions. Brain and nerve conditions, such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and traumatic brain injury, may increase the risk of sleep disorders. Heart disease, lung disease, cancer, diabetes, and chronic pain are linked with insomnia. Being overweight increases the risk of obstructive sleep apnea. Heart failure and atrial fibrillation increases the risk of central sleep apnea.
  • Mental health conditions. Stress, depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions can affect sleep.
  • Schedule changes. The Jet lag or shift work may change your sleep-wake cycle, and disrupt sleep.
  • Medications and drugs. Certain medications, caffeine, alcohol and legal or illegal drugs that can be sold on the streets, also called recreational drugs, can affect sleep.

Complications

Untreated sleep disorders are associated with serious complications. These may include an increased risk or worsening medical conditions such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Sleep disorders can also affect mental health. Continuous and insomnia may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior.

Sleep disorders can affect your quality of life. Excessive sleepiness during the day can make it difficult to focus and pay attention. This may affect the driving safety, at the place of work of the errors and how well they do in school.

Diagnosis

To diagnose sleep disorders, you will meet with sleep specialists listen to your concerns and help create a plan to meet your needs. You can help your bed partner to share information about their symptoms. Your sleep specialist makes up an exam. You may be asked to keep a sleep log that includes information about their daily activities and sleep.

You may also have tests, such as:

  • Actigraphy. A small monitor, usually worn on the wrist, measures, arm and leg movement during sleep. It has been used by several days to weeks, the monitor gives information about sleep-wake cycles over time. The test can also show if the treatment of a sleep disorder that is working.
  • Sleep study, also called a polysomnogram. A sleep study records the brain waves, the oxygen levels in the blood, and the heart rate and breathing during sleep. It also measures the eyes and the movements of the legs. A sleep study may be done at a sleep disorders unit within a hospital or at a sleep center. When you have tests for sleep apnea, a diagnosis can be made during the first half of the night, while the data from the rest of the night is used to decide on the best configuration for continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. Sometimes the test is done through two nights.
  • Home sleep apnea test. Some people can have an at-home test to diagnose sleep apnea. The small monitors usually record the respiratory rate and the air flow, oxygen levels and heart rate. Some tests also give information about the tone of the blood vessels. This indicates how well the muscles in the walls of the blood vessels, control of blood pressure and move the blood around the body. After the test, the information can be uploaded to a smartphone app and sends it to the sleep medicine specialist for review.
  • Multiple sleep latency test (MSLT). This test measures daytime sleepiness. During the test, you have time for in a dark and quiet room. You may take 4 to 5 naps, each interval is two hours away. The MSLT measures the time it takes to fall asleep each time.
  • Maintenance of wakefulness test (MWT). This test measures day the state of alert. During the test, you have time for in a dark and quiet room. As the MSLT, you can take 4 to 5 naps a two-hour intervals of distance. Unlike the MSLT, the working hours of the measures of its ability to stay awake during this time.
  • Of the upper respiratory tract of the nerve stimulation therapy evaluation. This may involve several tests that help to decide if a small device that is surgically placed in the interior of the body is the proper treatment for obstructive sleep apnea.
  • Overnight oximetry test. The use of a small monitor that connects to a finger, this test measures the heart rate and the oxygen levels in the blood during the night. Declines in levels of oxygen while sleeping can happen with sleep apnea.

Treatment

The treatment depends on the type of sleep disorder you have and how much your symptoms affect your daily life. Treatment options may include:

  • -A healthy life style choices. These can include weight loss if needed, following good sleep habits, regular physical activity, the reduction in the consumption of alcohol and caffeine before bedtime, and avoiding recreational drugs.
  • The treatment of other health conditions. The medical treatment and mental health that can be the cause or the addition of sleep disorders may improve sleep.
  • The cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). CBT-I is to observe the thoughts and behaviors that interfere with sleep. With guidance, you can create a plan to get better rest. This may include finding ways to relax before you go to sleep, go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day, and not to take naps.
  • Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy.This is the standard of treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. Using a CPAP machine for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea when you are sleeping. The machine has a hose that connects to a mask. Use the mask on the face or nose. The machine provides the flow of air at a pressure that keeps the airway open during sleep. One type of CPAP called bilevel positive airway pressure (BPAP) may be used in obstructive sleep apnea is for people who do not tolerate CPAP. BPAP can also be used to help breathing in people who have conditions that maintain their breathing muscles work as they should.
  • Oral appliances. The devices used in the mouth, known as oral appliances, it may be an option instead of the CPAP. These are made to the extent of the nozzles that are used during sleep. The goal is to decrease the air flow blockage in the throat area, pushing the lower jaw and tongue forward.
  • Surgeries.Another option instead of the CPAP is surgery. There are different surgical options designed to decrease the air flow obstruction during sleep. These include surgeries in the nose or in the jaws and surgeries to reduce the upper part of the airways of the soft tissues. A new surgical option for obstructive sleep apnea is the upper airway nerve stimulation therapy. In the united states, the Food and Drug Administration has approved an upper airway stimulation of the nerve system to Inspire for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea in some people if CPAP therapy is not working. Surgery is necessary to place the Inspire system. A small device called a generator is placed under the skin in the upper chest. When the breathing muscles do not move the device, the device sends a pulse to the nerve beneath the tongue. This causes the tongue to move forward, opening the airway.
  • Drugs. Medications and supplements can help treat some sleep disorders.

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. This is the standard of treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. Using a CPAP machine for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea when you are sleeping. The machine has a hose that connects to a mask. Use the mask on the face or nose. The machine provides the flow of air at a pressure that keeps the airway open during sleep.

One type of CPAP called bilevel positive airway pressure (BPAP) may be used in obstructive sleep apnea is for people who do not tolerate CPAP. BPAP can also be used to help breathing in people who have conditions that maintain their breathing muscles work as they should.

Surgeries. Another option instead of the CPAP is surgery. There are different surgical options designed to decrease the air flow obstruction during sleep. These include surgeries in the nose or in the jaws and surgeries to reduce the upper part of the airways of the soft tissues.

A new surgical option for obstructive sleep apnea is the upper airway nerve stimulation therapy. In the united states, the Food and Drug Administration has approved an upper airway stimulation of the nerve system to Inspire for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea in some people if CPAP therapy is not working.

Surgery is necessary to place the Inspire system. A small device called a generator is placed under the skin in the upper chest. When the breathing muscles do not move the device, the device sends a pulse to the nerve beneath the tongue. This causes the tongue to move forward, opening the airway.

Symptoms and treatment of Sleep disorders