Insomnia, Restless Legs Syndrome, Sleep Apnea, Narcolepsy

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Insomnia, Restless Legs Syndrome, Sleep Apnea, Narcolepsy

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health and National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

Posted: April 1, 2008

Insomnia is too little or poor-quality sleep caused by one or more of the following:

Trouble falling asleep
Waking up a lot during the night with trouble returning to sleep
Waking up too early in the morning
Having un-refreshing sleep (not feeling well rested), even after sleeping 7 to 8 hours at night

Insomnia can cause problems during the day, such as excessive sleepiness, fatigue, trouble thinking clearly or staying focused, or feeling depressed or irritable. It is not defined by the number of hours you sleep every night. Although the amount of sleep a person needs varies, most people need between 7 and 8 hours of sleep a night.

Women are twice as likely to suffer from insomnia than men. Some research suggests that certain social factors, such as being unemployed or divorced, are related to poor sleep and increase the risk of insomnia in women. Also, insomnia tends to increase with age. Sometimes perimenopausal (the time leading up to menopause) women have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep; hot flashes and night sweats often can disturb sleep. Pregnancy also can affect how well a woman sleeps.

How is insomnia diagnosed?
If you think you have insomnia, talk to your doctor. It might be helpful to complete a sleep diary for a week or two, noting your sleep patterns, your daily routine, and how you feel during the day. Discuss the results of your sleep diary with your doctor. Your doctor may do a physical exam and take a medical history and sleep history. Your doctor may also want to talk to your bed partner to ask how much and how well you are sleeping. In some cases, you may be referred to a sleep center for special tests.

What is restless legs syndrome?
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a sensory disorder causing an almost irresistible urge to move the legs. Movement eases the feelings but only for a while. RLS can make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep. People with RLS often don’t get enough sleep and may feel tired and sleepy during the day.

Symptoms of RLS can range from mild to severe. Symptoms tend to get worse over time. They sometimes begin during childhood.
People with RLS may describe the unpleasant feelings in their legs as creeping, crawling, tingling, burning or painful. Often, the feelings are hard to describe.
Many people with RLS also have periodic limb movement disorder. This is a condition in which a person’s legs twitch or jerk uncontrollably every 10 to 60 seconds. This usually happens during sleep.

What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a common breathing disorder that can be very serious. In sleep apnea, your breathing stops or becomes very shallow for periods of 10 to 20 seconds or longer, many times during the night. The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea.

Having a physical exam and providing your doctor with information about your sleep will help to diagnose sleep apnea. Your doctor may also want you to have special sleep tests.
Treatment is aimed at restoring regular nighttime breathing and relieving symptoms such as loud snoring and daytime sleepiness. Treatment will also help associated medical problems, such as high blood pressure, and reduce the risk for heart attack and stroke.

What is narcolepsy?
Narcolepsy is a lifelong condition that causes you to fall asleep suddenly during the day. Narcolepsy may cause sudden loss of muscle tone and control while awake (cataplexy), the inability to move or speak while falling asleep or waking up (sleep paralysis), and/or vivid dreams while falling asleep or waking up (hallucinations). There is no cure for narcolepsy, but its symptoms can be relieved with medicines and lifestyle changes.

The symptoms of narcolepsy can cause accidents injuries; and problems with learning, working, or connecting with others.
Narcolepsy tends to develop first between the ages of 15 and 30.
The exact causes of narcolepsy are not known. Many factors probably work together to cause a lack of the brain chemical hypocretin, which promotes wakefulness.

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health and National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

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