Sleep Disorders Overview

Sleep Disorders Video

HOST On Camera:
Hello and welcome to the Answered Patient.  I’m Jane Hanson.  If you toss and turn all night… or have trouble staying awake during the day, it could be the sign of a sleep disorder. In this episode of the Answered Patient, we’ll tell you about the symptoms of sleep disorders… who is at risk of developing them… and how they are diagnosed and treated. 

HOST VOICE OVER:
Nearly 70 million Americans suffer from a sleep disorder, and many don’t even know they have one. 

Dr. Wyatt:
Insufficient sleep is a chronic epidemic for the United States.  People are not getting enough hours of sleep voluntarily because of lifestyles that are too busy and trying to cram too many things in and sacrificing the hours of sleep in the balance. 

HOST VOICE OVER:
Research shows that getting enough sleep is vital for both physical and mental health.  During sleep, our bodies go through a sequence of events, known as the five stages of sleep. Stages 1 through 4 are called non-rapid eye movement, or non-REM sleep.  Stage 5, the REM stage, produces increased brain activity and is when most dreaming occurs.  These stages typically cycle several times throughout the night, and are necessary to help restore our body’s energy.

Dr. Zee:
You really need to know that sleep is a dynamic process, you don’t go to sleep and your brain just kind of rests and you’re done //  the deepest stages of sleep//, may be what we think as being restorative sleep.

HOST VOICE OVER:
If the sleep cycle is interrupted, a person can suffer from memory loss and impaired thinking … or even experience life-threatening accidents. 

Dr. Wyatt:
Getting a half a night of sleep or skipping a night of sleep entirely voluntarily might lead to profound changes in memory, and concentration, and coordination the next day. 

HOST VOICE OVER:
Fatigue and exhaustion can also cause other medical conditions, such as heart disease, obesity, and depression.

Dr. Zallek:
There are cultural, social, economic outcomes to sleep disorders that are very important and there are also medical consequences of sleep disorders//They cause so much dysfunction and come in many packages.

HOST on Camera:
Doctors describe sleep disorders as any disturbance that affects a person’s ability to either fall asleep or stay asleep at night… or stay awake during the day. And they can occur in anyone, at any time.

Dr. Zallek:
The breadth of sleep disorders is so enormous it affects a lot of people at all ages, newborns to the elderly.

Dr. Zallek: You’re still wearing your CPAP?

Jane: Every night.

Dr. Zallek: Okay, great.

HOST VOICE OVER:
If you think you might have a sleep disorder, the first step towards treatment is working with your doctor to determine which type you have. There are nearly one hundred kinds of sleep disorders. The most common is insomnia.  People who suffer from insomnia have trouble falling asleep, or staying asleep.  Sleep apnea occurs when a person has difficulty breathing during sleep. It’s often accompanied by snoring, and even brief periods where breathing stops altogether.  Restless legs syndrome is a sleep disorder marked by tingling or even painful sensations in the legs. These symptoms cause patients to experience an irresistible urge to move their legs, making it difficult to sleep. Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder. People with this condition experience “sleep attacks” that cause them to suddenly fall asleep without any warning. Parasomnias are disturbances that occur during sleep, such as nightmares or sleepwalking. While research is ongoing, experts believe these and other sleep disorders are caused by a combination of brain chemical imbalances, stress, inconsistent sleep habits, or even having a spouse with a sleeping problem.

HOST ON CAMERA:
If you have been diagnosed with a sleep disorder, there are many effective treatments available. Often, the first thing doctors recommend are simple lifestyle changes, such as reducing stress, and setting up a regular sleep schedule.

Dr. Zallek:
Good sleep hygiene is really important to start with and that means going to bed when you’re sleepy, but not a whole lot earlier than that. Getting up at the same time every day helps set your rhythm so that you’re able to fall asleep more easily at night and stay awake during the day.

HOST VOICE OVER:
In some cases, your doctor might recommend medication in addition to lifestyle changes.

Dr. Wyatt:
Well, there are virtually no sleep disorders we cannot treat...we get patients to hang in there with us, to follow the recommendations that we make for them whether it’s taking a medication every day at the right time at the right amount or whether it’s engaging in stress relieving activities before they go to bed.

HOST On Camera:
While sleep disorders can be debilitating, there is hope.  In the other chapters of this episode, you can find out more about the symptoms and diagnosis of sleep disorders…and about the latest treatment options.

Dr. Zallek:
They are two very similar things. 

HOST VOICE OVER:
In our “Personal Stories” chapter, you’ll hear from real patients who are living with sleep disorders… and discover the ways they’ve improved the quality of their sleep.