Difereneces in types of insomnia11/6/2023 This is a common test if your doctor suspects you may have narcolepsy or sleep apnea. This records your brain waves, breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure while you’re asleep. In other cases, your doctor may order a test known as a polysomnography. Your doctor may also recommend a visit to a sleep lab for some specialized testing or overnight observation. If your doctor suspects insomnia or one of several other sleep disorders, he or she may ask you to keep a detailed sleep journal for a week or two. These initial tests can help your doctor zero in on the specific type of sleep disorder you may be dealing with, as well as any underlying medical issues that may cause or contribute to your sleeping issues. This is usually coupled with a physical exam. Your doctor will almost always start by conducting a thorough in-person interview and taking your medical history. The diagnostic process varies a lot depending on a patient’s sleep problems. There are many other types of sleep disorders, but the above are the most common. This type, which is most common among the elderly, typically involves going to bed at a very early hour-sometime between 6 and 9 p.m.-and rising in the middle of the night. While this may not seem like a problem for some, it can be a considerable challenge if a person’s work or school obligations require them to go to bed and get up at earlier hours.Īdvanced sleep phase disorders: This is basically the opposite of delayed sleep phase disorder. Shift work disorder: This occurs among people who work irregular schedules or night shifts, and are often trying to stay awake or fall asleep at times that don’t align with their body’s internal clocks.ĭelayed sleep phase disorder: This could be thought of as "night owlism." It’s most common among teens and young adults, and it’s defined as an inability to fall asleep until very late at night-2 or 3 a.m.-and a desire to sleep until midday or later. ![]() For people with a circadian rhythm disorder, there’s a mismatch between their internal clocks and their desired sleep-wake schedule, and this leads to problems sleeping.Ĭircadian rhythm disorders come in a variety of subtypes. ![]() This biological clock determines the release of neurochemicals that either initiate sleep or chase it away. This group of related sleep issues is caused by disruptions to a person’s internal circadian rhythm, or sleep clock. This can lead to excessive daytime drowsiness and insomnia. ![]() RLS usually happens once a person lies down in bed or after they’ve been sitting for long periods.įor some, RLS can be so severe that it becomes difficult to fall or stay asleep. Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is just what it sounds like: a strong inclination or urge to move your legs while they’re at rest. Type 2 narcolepsy: Patients with this condition do not have low levels of hypocretin, but experience other narcolepsy symptoms. Type 1 narcolepsy: This term is used to describe patients who either have low levels of a brain chemical called hypocretin, which helps regulate the body’s sleep-wake cycles, or those who experience some specific narcolepsy symptoms. Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder in which the brain doesn’t properly manage the body’s sleep-wake states. ![]() This is often a result of "signaling problems" in a person’s brain, or as a result of other conditions, like heart failure and stroke. It’s the more common type of sleep apnea.Ĭentral sleep apnea: The type of sleep apnea in which the muscles that control a person’s breathing don’t work properly during sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea: This is caused by the partial or total blockage of breathing airways during sleep. In some cases, these breathing stoppages can occur hundreds of times each night. Sleep apnea is a condition in which a person repeatedly stops breathing during the night, which harms the depth and quality of his or her sleep. Subtle Signs of Narcolepsy You May Be Overlooking.
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