Sleep Disorder Center Trinity Regional Medical Center – Main Campus 515.574.6189

Defining Sleep Disorders

Sleep disorders are any disorders that effect sleep patterns and interfere with falling asleep, staying asleep, or remaining awake.

Insomnia

Insomnia may be caused by many conditions. The cause of the disorder may be psychological (chronic depression or temporary stress), environmental (noise), or physiological (chronic breathing disorder or temporary pain). Another common cause of insomnia is the misuse and overuse of sleeping pills.

Cannot Sleep at the Proper Time

When a regular pattern of sleeping and waking is disrupted, some individuals find it difficult to resume a sleep-wake schedule that fits their needs. Often the problem is caused by shift work or other schedule changes. Some complaints of insomnia or daytime sleepiness may be due to undiscovered changes in the sleep-wake rhythm.

Narcolepsy

People who are too sleepy during the day and feel muscle weakness when they are angry, surprised or amused may have narcolepsy. Sometimes narcoleptics experience terrifying dreams or hallucinations just as they fall asleep. Narcolepsy emerges in young adulthood and is a life-long medical disorder.

Sleep Apnea and Snoring

Snoring is not always just a normal annoying behavior. If light, it may indeed be trivial. However, heavy snoring may be a symptom of a serious sleep disorder called sleep apnea.
People with sleep apnea stop breathing again and again during sleep. These apneas last 10 to 90 seconds and may occur several times during the night. The symptoms of sleep apnea are excessive daytime sleepiness, high blood pressure and heavy snoring.

Oxygenation Problems

When people have chronic breathing problems or lung disease, their symptoms often worsen during sleep. Complete evaluation of such respiratory disease requires measurement of oxygen in the blood during sleep.

Nocturnal Myclonus

People who have periodic leg movements during sleep may not get proper rest and feel they might have insomnia or excessive sleepiness.
 

Nightmares and Night Terrors

Nightmares are frightening dream experiences which can be recalled later. These may occur at any age. Night terrors are often accompanied by an anguished scream - yet the victim seldom recalls the experience. Night terrors usually disappear after adolescence. The causes of nightmares and night terrors are unknown.

Bedwetting, Sleepwalking and Sleeptalking

These disorders are common in childhood. Bedwetting is particularly common and, in most cases, the cause is unknown. Sleepwalking is also common in childhood and can be dangerous. Sleep walkers should be protected by reducing the risk of falling and by removing other dangers from their bedroom. Sleeptalking is usually incomprehensible and rarely of psychological significance. It is important to determine whether the troublesome behavior is harmless or a sign of a sleep-related epileptic seizure.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

An infant or young child can be evaluated and monitored for infantile apnea to determine the risk of SIDS. If not diagnosed and treated, the syndrome can be fatal.