Have you experienced any of these symptoms?
- I've been told that I snore
- I've been told that I stop breathing while I sleep, although I don't remember
- I feel tired and irritable in the morning even though I slept through the night
- I am having trouble controlling my weight
- I sweat excessively during the night
- I have noticed my heart pounding or beating irregularly during the night
- I get morning headaches
- I have trouble sleeping when I have a cold
- I have jolted awake gasping for breath during the night
- I am overweight
- I seem to be losing my sex drive
If you answered yes to three or more of these questions, you may suffer from Sleep Apnea.
The results of your answers to the following list of questions may indicate if you need to consult us about sleep disorders, sleep apnea, or excessive snoring:
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Have you ever been diagnosed or treated for sleep apnea?
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Do you have allergies or problems breathing?
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Do you have any problems with breathing through your nose?
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Do you drink alcohol and or take sedatives six hours prior to going to sleep?
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Are their disorders of sleep apnea in your family?
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Have you sought treatment for snoring?
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Are You Experiencing Excessive Daytime Sleepiness?
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Are you sleepy during the day? You may be experiencing Excessive Daytime Sleepiness.
Excessive Daytime Sleepiness
How Sleepy Are You?
Use the questionnaire above to determine your level of daytime sleepiness
and whether you might be experiencing signs of a sleep disorder.
Excessive Daytime Sleepiness
Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS) is a condition in which an individual
feels very drowsy during the day and has an overwhelming urge to fall
asleep, even after getting enough nighttime sleep. People with EDS
frequently doze, nap, or fall asleep in situations where they need or want
to be fully awake and alert. This can be particularly dangerous at times,
such as when driving a car or operating other hazardous machinery.
EDS can interfere significantly with a person's ability to concentrate and perform daily tasks and routines. People with EDS often report feelings of low self-esteem, frustration, and anger about being misunderstood and regarded as unintelligent, lazy or uninterested in learning. They also report having difficulty with relationships -- in social situations, in the workplace, and within the family.
EDS is a sign of an underlying medical condition, typically a sleep disorder.
The following sleep disorders are often associated with excessive daytime sleepiness:
- Narcolepsy
- Sleep Apnea
- Periodic Leg Movements in Sleep (PLMS)
- Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)
- Circadian Rhythm Disorder
Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a chronic neurological disorder that affects the region of the
central nervous system that regulates sleep and wakefulness. Symptoms of
narcolepsy generally appear in the second decade of life. It affects an
estimated 200,000 Americans and is characterized by the following signs and
symptoms:*
- Sudden, uncontrollable episodes of sleep at inappropriate times, such as while having dinner, talking, driving or working
- Sudden episodes of loss of muscle tone, ranging from slight weakness (such as limpness at the neck or knees, sagging facial muscles, or inability to speak clearly) to complete body collapse (This can be precipitated by intense emotion, such as laughter or anger.)
- Inability to talk or move when falling asleep or waking up
- Vivid, often unpleasant, dream-like experiences that occur while dozing or falling asleep
- Disrupted nighttime sleep with frequent awakenings
- Performance of routine tasks without memory of the action
- Learning and memory difficulties
* Not all individuals with narcolepsy experience every sign or symptom.
Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a serious, potentially life-threatening breathing disorder
which affects 6 million adult Americans. Some studies indicate that it is
associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. More common in
men than women, apnea is experienced by sufferers as a lack of air flow
throughout the night. This leads to frequent brief arousals. Sleep apnea
occurs in four percent of middle-aged men and two percent of middle-aged
women. Over age 65, the prevalence rises to 28 percent and 24 percent for
men and women respectively. Sleep apnea is characterized by the following
signs and symptoms:
- Brief interruptions of air flow during sleep and loss of oxygen
- Repetitive arousals, often unnoticed, during sleep
- Falling asleep at inappropriate times during the day, such as while driving, working or talking
- Early morning headaches
- Depression, irritability and sexual dysfunction
- Learning and memory difficulties
Periodic Leg
Movements in Sleep (PLMS)
Periodic leg movements in sleep (PLMS) is a syndrome that consists of
periodic movements of the legs, feet, and/or toes during sleep. People with
PLMS are often not aware of these movements, and often complain of several
symptoms, including:
- Insomnia
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Frequent awakenings from sleep, or
- Unrefreshing sleep
Restless Leg
Syndrome (RLS)
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is marked by uncomfortable leg sensations that
occur continually while the body is at rest. It may be a central nervous
system disorder and occasionally is associated with iron-deficiency anemia,
pregnancy or diabetes. RLS is the basic cause of sleep deprivation for up to
an estimated 4 million adult Americans. RLS is characterized by the
following signs and symptoms:
- The urge to move the legs, which is often accompanied by uncomfortable sensations in the foot, calf or upper leg (These sensations are usually described as a creeping or crawling feeling and may sometimes be experienced as a tingling, cramping or burning sensation.)
- The need to move the legs to relieve the discomfort by stretching, bending or rubbing the legs, tossing or turning in bed, or getting up and pacing the floor
- A worsening of discomfort when lying down, especially when trying to fall asleep at night
- A tendency to experience the most discomfort late in the day and at night
- Continuous nighttime sleep disruption
- Daytime fatigue
Circadian Rhythm
Disruption
More than 25 million Americans have non-traditional work schedules, and many
of these individuals have difficulty sleeping during the day and staying
alert on the job at night. Shift workers' struggles are biologically based:
Their sleep and work schedules conflict with their biological clocks. The
biological clock or circadian rhythm is the fluctuation of sleep-wake
states. This fluctuation is generally linked to the 24-hour, daily
dark-light cycle. Shift workers attempt to sleep when their bodies tell them
to be awake, which often results in chronic sleep loss. Shift workers are
more likely than people who keep "traditional" work schedules to experience:
- Memory and concentration difficulties and impaired job performance
- Stomach problems (especially heartburn and indigestion)
- Menstrual irregularities
- Colds and flu
- Weight gain
- High blood pressure and heart problems
- Workplace and automobile accidents
The National Sleep
Foundation is an independent nonprofit organization that promotes public
understanding of sleep and sleep disorders and supports sleep-related
education, research and advocacy to improve public health and safety.
Copyright 1999, National Sleep Foundation
Dr. Steven J. Wilk
3540 S. Poplar St., Suite #301
Denver CO 80237
Phone: 303.758.4865
