Sleep disorders Expert in Perumbakkam

Your Trusted Partner in Sleep disorders

Sleep disorders are a group of conditions that affect the quality, timing, and duration of sleep, causing disturbances in a person’s daily life and overall health. We are here to provide you with top-notch care and guidance to tackle your problems.

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Understanding Sleep disorders

Some common sleep disorders

Insomnia: Characterized by difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, leading to poor sleep quality. It can be acute or chronic and is often associated with stress, anxiety, or other underlying conditions.

Sleep Apnea: Involves the interruption of breathing during sleep due to partial or complete blockage of the airway. This can lead to loud snoring, frequent awakenings, and daytime fatigue.

Narcolepsy: A neurological disorder that causes excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden, uncontrollable sleep attacks. Individuals with narcolepsy may fall asleep at inappropriate times.

Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS): This condition results in an uncontrollable urge to move the legs, often accompanied by uncomfortable sensations. Symptoms typically worsen in the evening and can disrupt sleep.

Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD): Involves repetitive, uncontrollable jerking or flexing of the legs during sleep, which can lead to frequent awakenings.
Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders: These disorders result from disruptions to the body’s internal clock, leading to sleep disturbances. Conditions like jet lag and shift work sleep disorder fall into this category.

Parasomnias: These are abnormal behaviors or events during sleep, including sleepwalking, night terrors, and REM sleep behavior disorder (acting out dreams during REM sleep).

Hypersomnia: Characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and extended nighttime sleep. People with hypersomnia may struggle to stay awake during the day, even after a full night’s sleep.

Sleep-related movement disorders: These include conditions like bruxism (teeth grinding), rhythmic movement disorder, and sleep-related eating disorder.

Consequences of Lack of Sleep

Adequate sleep is essential for the proper functioning of your brain. Insufficient or poor-quality sleep can lead to a range of potential consequences. Some of the most noticeable effects include fatigue, reduced energy levels, irritability, and difficulties with concentration. It can also impact your decision-making abilities and mood. Sleep-related issues often co-occur with symptoms of depression and anxiety. These conditions can interact, with sleep problems worsening depression or anxiety, and conversely, depression or anxiety contributing to sleep disturbances.

Both insufficient and excessive sleep have been linked to various chronic health conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes. Disruptions in sleep patterns can also serve as warning signals for underlying medical and neurological issues, including congestive heart failure, osteoarthritis, and Parkinson’s disease. The relationship between sleep and overall health is intricate and underscores the significance of prioritizing healthy sleep habits.

Insomnia Disorder

Insomnia, the most common sleep disorder, involves problems getting to sleep or staying asleep. About one-third of adults report some insomnia symptoms, 10-15 percent report problems with functioning during the daytime and 6-10 percent have symptoms severe enough to meet criteria for insomnia disorder. An estimated 40-50 percent of individuals with insomnia also have another mental disorder.

Symptoms and diagnosis:

In order for an insomnia disorder to be diagnosed, the sleep-related issues must manifest on a minimum of three nights per week for a duration of at least three months. Furthermore, these difficulties should lead to noteworthy distress or impairments in crucial areas of an individual’s daily life, including work, education, or other essential functions. It’s important to note that not all individuals experiencing sleep disturbances necessarily experience distress or impaired functionality.

To establish an insomnia diagnosis, healthcare professionals follow a systematic process to eliminate other potential factors and conditions. This includes ruling out other sleep disorders, potential side effects of medications, substance abuse, underlying depression, and both physical and mental health disorders. Certain medications and medical conditions can have an impact on sleep quality, and a comprehensive evaluation is necessary to determine the root causes of the sleep issues.

Symptoms of insomnia can be:

  • Episodic (with an episode of symptoms lasting one to three months)
  • Persistent (with symptoms lasting three months or more)
  • Recurrent (with two or more episodes within a year)

Diagnosis:

  • Nocturnal polysomnography: During this test, you’re hooked up to equipment that monitors your heart, lung and brain activity, breathing patterns, arm and leg movements, and blood oxygen levels while you sleep.
  • Home sleep tests: Your health care provider might provide you with simplified tests to be used at home to diagnose sleep apnea. These tests usually measure your heart rate, blood oxygen level, airflow and breathing patterns. Your provider is more likely to recommend polysomnography in a sleep testing facility, rather than a home sleep test, if central sleep apnea is suspected.

Treatments

                        Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP):

If you have moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, you might benefit from using a machine that delivers air pressure through a mask while you sleep. With CPAP (SEE-pap), the air pressure is somewhat greater than that of the surrounding air and is just enough to keep your upper airway passages open, preventing apnea and snoring.

                  Oral appliances:

Another option is wearing an oral appliance designed to keep your throat open. CPAP is more reliably effective than oral appliances, but oral appliances might be easier to use. Some are designed to open your throat by bringing your jaw forward, which can sometimes relieve snoring and mild obstructive sleep apnea.

Frequently Asked Question on Sleep Disorders
What are common types of sleep disorders?

Common sleep disorders include insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome, parasomnias (such as sleepwalking or night terrors), and circadian rhythm disorders.

How do I know if I have a sleep disorder?

If you consistently experience disrupted sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness, or other unusual symptoms related to sleep, it’s advisable to consult with a healthcare professional or a sleep specialist who can assess your symptoms and recommend appropriate testing if needed.

Can sleep disorders be serious?

Yes, some sleep disorders can have serious health implications. For example, untreated sleep apnea is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular problems, and chronic insomnia can impact mental health and overall well-being.

When should I see a doctor about my sleep problems?

If you consistently experience difficulties with sleep, such as trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or excessive daytime sleepiness, it’s advisable to consult with a healthcare professional. Additionally, persistent loud snoring or observed pauses in breathing during sleep should be evaluated.