Sleep Disorders Information

Sleep Apnea (and snoring treatments):

The following are a list of the most common signs and symptoms of sleep apnea:

• Loud snoring. The person may alternate between snoring very loudly and being very quiet. Periods of silence may be followed by gasps or snorting sounds.
• Observed pauses in breathing. The sleeping partner may notice that the sufferer has temporarily stopped breathing.
• Excessive sleepiness. He or she may fall asleep inappropriately. The person may wake up tired, even after a full night’s sleep.
• Morning headaches.
• Increased neck size.
• Trouble concentrating or forgetfulness.
• Frequent nighttime awakenings and urination.
• Irritability or other mood changes.
• Dry mouth.
• Restlessness at night.

Do you or someone you know snore loudly? The majority of patients with untreated sleep apnea complain of loud snoring, excessive daytime sleepiness, and usually a bed partner/spouse that has said that the patient stops breathing during sleep and has periods of gasping and snorting. Because the loud snoring often drives the bed partner or the person who snores into sleeping in separate bedrooms, we often see patients seeking snoring treatments. Snoring is often a symptom of the larger problem of sleep apnea. somniTech, Inc. is the authority in snoring treatment and wants to offer you the better sleep you deserve.

Obstructive sleep apnea (the most common type of apnea) is caused by an obstruction of the airway usually due to excess tissue in the throat. This causes repeated disruption to the sleep cycle as the brain briefly arouses the sufferer to resume breathing (and this may happen hundreds of times a night). People with untreated sleep apnea are generally unaware of the awakenings. Observant bed partners are often helpful in diagnosing sleep apnea. Snoring treatments include the use of nasal CPAP or BiPAP, surgical intervention, dental appliances, and positional therapy, to name a few.

Sleep apnea is very common and affects more than 12 million Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health. The number one prescribed therapy for treatment of sleep apnea is CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure). CPAP acts like an air splint to keep the airway open. CPAP at a therapeutic level for the patient is an effective snoring treatment and sleep apnea treatment because CPAP eliminates airway obstruction.

An important distinction for patients to understand is that although there are many approaches to snoring treatments, not all of these treatments can address and treat sleep apnea. If you or someone you know have the signs and symptoms of sleep apnea, please consult a somniTech, Inc. sleep disorders center location near you for help.

Insomnia

Insomnia is a condition in which a person either gets too little sleep (has problems initiating sleep or staying asleep) or poor-quality sleep. A common problem, it affects approximately half of American adults at some point in their lives.

Signs and Symptoms:

• Trouble falling asleep
• Experiencing restless sleep
• Waking too early in the morning
• Feeling tired and un-refreshed upon waking in the morning (even after sleeping a full night)

The condition is classified into 3 groups depending on the length that it lasts:

• Transient Insomnia. A single night to a few weeks.
• Intermittent Insomnia. Short term or happens sporadically.
• Chronic Insomnia. 3 nights a week or more over a month or more.

Common causes of Insomnia include:

• Stress
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Age-related changes

Other factors include:

• Drinking too much caffeine during the day
• Drinking alcohol before bedtime
• Excessive napping during the day
• Changes in surrounding and sleep schedule
• Noise
• Jet lag
• Certain medications
• Pain from medical problems

Treatments for Insomnia:

Treatment involves diagnosing and responding to any underlying medical or psychological problems that may be contributing to your insomnia. Often, once the causes are dealt with, insomnia goes away on its own. However, there are some cases in which other treatments are required. Additional treatments may include the following:

• Sleeping pills.
• Behavioral techniques such as Relaxation therapy and Reconditioning.
• Limit-setting techniques.

Our board-certified sleep physicians can help! Call an office location nearest you for help.

Restless Legs Syndrome & Periodic Limb Movement Disorder

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is the inability to keep one’s legs still when sitting or lying down for extended periods. Often the patient described the overwhelming urge to kick the legs in order to relieve symptoms of “creepy-crawling” under the skin. Patients with RLS often have a difficult time describing the symptoms, but can usually relate to the following statements:

• “I can’t keep my legs still and it helps if I keep moving them.”
• “I have a tingling, burning sensation in my legs that is only relieved by movement.”
• “My brain drives me crazy until I move my legs.”

RLS can be associated with iron deficiency.

Caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco use can make RLS symptoms worse.

RLS can be diagnosed by symptoms described to a physician; however, an overnight sleep study is often ordered to rule out other significant sleep disturbances.

Treatment options for RLS:

Restless Legs Syndrome is classified as a sleep disorder. Sleep specialists, such as the ones found at somniTech, Inc. locations, are qualified to recognize, diagnose, and treat RLS. There are prescription medications that can treat RLS. There are also home remedies that can be effective for some people. These include:

• Hot baths
• Leg massages
• Applied heat
• Ice packs
• Elimination of tobacco or caffeine
• Over the counter pain relievers
• Regular exercise

Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD) is the continual, periodic twitching of the legs or arms during sleep. Some people with PLMD experience interruptions in their sleep caused by the involuntary movement during sleep. These people often complain of lack of restful sleep. The diagnosis of PLMD can only be made following an overnight sleep study.

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) and Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD) can be related. Patients with RLS often experience periodic limb movements while they sleep. RLS happens while the patient is awake, therefore the patient is aware of the signs and symptoms. The PLMD patient is asleep when the disorder occurs.

Treatment options for PLMD:

In most cases, patients with PLMD don’t need treatment because they sleep through the movements and don’t have any other symptoms, such as excessive daytime sleepiness. Others with PLMD, who wake up easily because of the movements, might be able to eliminate or reduce their sleep complaints by improving the soundness of their sleep. Usually, treatment of PLMD involves prescription medications.

Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder causing excessive sleepiness with a tendency for the sufferer to fall asleep at inappropriate times. These “sleep attacks” and the constant sleepiness that goes along with it is usually not relieved by any amount of sleep. Narcolepsy, if not diagnosed and properly managed, can severely impact the person’s quality of life.

Signs and Symptoms of Narcolepsy

• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Cataplexy (sudden brief losses of muscle strength usually triggered by strong emotion, such as laughter, anger, or surprise)
• Hypnagogic hallucinations (vivid dreams occurring when drowsy)
• Sleep paralysis (inability to move for a brief period upon falling asleep or waking up)
• Disturbed nighttime sleep (fragmented sleep patterns at night)
• Problems concentrating, memory loss, mood problems
• Automatic behavior (routine tasks performed on “auto-pilot” even though the person may be falling asleep)

Diagnosing Narcolepsy

It is important for people with a diagnosed or suspected sleep disorder to seek treatment from a sleep disorders center with qualified personnel for managing the care and follow-up of sleep disorder patients. somniTech, Inc. has sleep disorders centers in Des Moines and sleep disorders centers in Kansas City to serve you. Click here for a listing of all our locations.

Narcolepsy can only be a confirmed diagnosis through overnight sleep testing followed by a next-day MSLT (Multiple Sleep Latency Test). For more information on sleep testing, click here.

Treating Narcolepsy

Fortunately, more and more practitioners and the public are recognizing the signs and symptoms of sleep disorders and seeking help for people suffering from them. Although there is not a cure for narcolepsy, recent advances in medicine have made narcolepsy increasingly manageable. There are various prescription medications that can be used and should be adjusted and managed by professionals trained in sleep medicine. Educating people with narcolepsy will also aid in helping them make adjustments to their lifestyle that can improve their symptoms and increase their quality of life.

Diabetes and Sleep

Diabetes and untreated sleep apnea can be related. Recent research indicates that individuals with obstructive sleep apnea are nine times more likely to have diabetes than those without obstructive sleep apnea.

Why is there a Link between Untreated Sleep Apnea and Diabetes?

Sleep apnea causes disrupted sleep. A person with untreated sleep apnea experiences temporary airway collapse which restricts or temporarily stops the flow of air into the lungs. During an apnea, blood oxygen levels drop rapidly and the individual awakens briefly (usually unaware of the awakening) gasping for breath. This may happen hundreds of times a night causing disrupted sleep and a feeling of not being rested for the sufferer. The physiologic stress that this causes may result in the release of cortisol by the adrenal glands. Increased levels of cortisol affect the body’s ability to properly metabolize glucose and release insulin.

Untreated sleep apnea can increase blood sugars as it lowers energy. Gaining control of sleep apnea can be good for diabetes management. The good news is that type 2 diabetics with obstructive sleep apnea, who receive therapy for OSA, can lower their glucose levels.

Sleep and Heart Disease

Heart disease and untreated sleep apnea can be related. Much research has focused attention on the link between hypertension and untreated sleep apnea. Explaining why the two are connected requires an understanding of what is happen to a person’s cardiovascular system during an apneic event. A person with untreated sleep apnea experiences temporary airway collapse (usually due to excess tissue in the back of the throat) which restricts or stops the flow of air into the lungs. Blood oxygen levels drop rapidly and the brain sends a signal to awaken the person briefly so as to correct the collapse of the airway. This may happens hundreds of times a night, causing strain on the heart, and changes in blood pressure throughout the night. These repetitive strikes on the cardiovascular system on a continual basis can lead to hypertension during the day and contribute to coronary artery disease, stroke, and congestive heart failure.

The Good News about Heart Health and Sleep Apnea

Studies have shown that patients who use CPAP therapy for obstructive sleep apnea, greatly improve heart disease complications. Using CPAP therapy can reduce or even eliminate the need for hypertension medications. Due to the correlation between sleep apnea and hypertension, patients with untreated OSA have a higher probability of having a stroke. Correction of sleep apnea can improve hypertension and therefore lower the chances of having a stroke.

Coronary artery disease is worsened by untreated sleep apnea. Treatment of snoring and apnea can reduce the chances of death due to coronary artery disease.