Questions and Answers - Recent questions and answers in Sleep Disorders

Answered: Why can over-the-counter products be dangerous if used for snoring problems?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 12:03:35 +0000

Over-the-counter products work by keeping you in a more wakeful sleep, which does not allow you to obtain a restful, deep sleep. This can contribute to dangerous and excessive sleepiness.

Answered: What can be done if you have a jaw or mouth abnormality that causes snoring?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 12:02:56 +0000

If you have a jaw or mouth abnormality that is causing an airway obstruction, your dentist may be able to fit you with a dental appliance to correct the problem and lessen snoring.

Answered: Can exercise help treat snoring?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 12:02:06 +0000

If you're overweight, get to and maintain a healthy weight. Losing even a few pounds may make a big difference.

Exercise can strengthen and tone muscles, including those in the upper airway.

Answered: What are CPAP device and BiPAP devices, and how do they help with sleep apnea?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 12:01:35 +0000

These are mask-like devices you wear at night to keep your airways open.

Answered: What is the Inspire device, and how can it help with sleep apnea?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 12:01:09 +0000

An implanted device called Inspire. This device, called an upper airway stimulator, consists of a small pulse generator placed under the skin in the upper chest. A wire is placed in the chest wall muscles, between the ribs. Another wire is inserted under the chin and delivers mild stimulation to nerves that control airway muscles, keeping them open.

Answered: What medications treat periodic limb movement disorder?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:59:31 +0000

Benzodiazepines suppress muscle contractions and help you sleep through the movements. Clonazepam (Klonopin) is probably the most widely used drug to treat PLMD.
Dopaminergic agents raise levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is important in regulating muscle movements.
Anticonvulsant agents reduce muscle contractions in some people.
GABA agonists prevent the release of certain neurotransmitters that stimulate muscle contractions.

Answered: What are symptoms of periodic limb movement disorder?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:58:51 +0000

The most common symptoms people with PLMD notice are poor sleep and daytime sleepiness. They're often unaware of their leg movements unless their bed partner tells them.

The movements can involve one or both legs:

Typically the knee, ankle, and big toe joints all bend
Vary from slight to wild kicking and thrashing
Last about 2 seconds
Repeat every 20-40 seconds

Answered: How does progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) work?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:58:14 +0000

1. While inhaling, contract one muscle group (for example your upper thighs) for 5 to 10 seconds, then exhale and release the tension.

2. Give yourself 10 to 20 seconds to relax, and then move on to the next muscle group (for example your buttocks).

3. While releasing the tension, focus on the changes you feel when the muscle group is relaxed.

4. Gradually work your way up the body contracting and relaxing muscle groups.

Answered: How can insomnia lead to car and workplace accidents?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:57:47 +0000

Most people know the dangers of drinking and driving, but think nothing of getting behind the wheel after a sleepless night. But the daytime effect of little or no sleep can hinder your driving skills to the point where you're impaired as if you've had too much to drink.

People with insomnia are more likely than well-rested people to have a car crash due to fatigue. Lack of sleep is also the cause of over 7% of all serious accidents in the workplace.

Answered: What should you expect when seeing a doctor about snoring?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:57:10 +0000

The doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history. She'll also give you a physical exam.

She may suggest you see an ear, nose, and throat specialist called an otolaryngologist. They're better equipped to examine your nasal passages for any blockages.

Your doctor may also refer you to a sleep lab, where researchers can figure out if a problem like sleep apnea is making you snore a lot.

Answered: How is sleep paralysis treated?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:55:58 +0000

Most people need no treatment for sleep paralysis. Treating any underlying conditions such as narcolepsy may help if you are anxious or unable to sleep well. These treatments may include the following:

Improving sleep habits -- such as making sure you get six to eight hours of sleep each night
Using antidepressant medication if it is prescribed to help regulate sleep cycles
Treating any mental health problems that may contribute to sleep paralysis
Treating any other sleep disorders, such as narcolepsy or leg cramps

Answered: How can biofeedback help you sleep?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:55:30 +0000

This mind-body technique requires equipment and training from a specialist. It can help you learn ways to control your tension levels. Once you master it, biofeedback can help you get back to sleep.

Answered: How serious are leg cramps?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:54:47 +0000

As painful as they feel, leg cramps are harmless.

Answered: What are the sex- and age- related prevalence of leg cramps?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:54:08 +0000

Men and women are equally prone to leg cramps. While they can strike people of all ages, if you’re 50 or older you might get them more often.

Answered: At what age do children have nightmares?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:53:05 +0000

Many kids have nightmares from time to time, but they are most common in preschoolers (children aged 3-6 years). This is the age at which normal fears develop and a child’s imagination is very active. Some studies estimate that as many as 50% of children in this age group have nightmares.

Answered: Can regular exercise treat insomnia?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:52:39 +0000

Regular exercise deepens sleep in young adults with or without sleep disorders.

Several studies show that exercise can improve sleep in older adults and people with cancer who have sleep problems, too.

Although consistent exercise has been shown to improve sleep quality, most experts advise exercising at least 3 to 4 hours before bedtime to avoid interference with sleep.

Answered: Which drugs treat hypersomnia?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:52:10 +0000

Stimulants, such as methylphenidate (Ritalin) or modafinil (Provigil)
Antidepressants, such as fluoxetine (Prozac), citalopram (Celexa), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft)
Sodium oxybate (Xyrem) is used to treat excessive daytime sleepiness associated with narcolepsy

Answered: How can diabetes cause secondary bedwetting?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:51:41 +0000

People with diabetes have a high level of sugar in their blood. The body increases urine output to try to get rid of the sugar. Having to urinate frequently is a common symptom of diabetes.

Answered: What are symptoms of insomnia?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:50:58 +0000

If you have insomnia, you may have some of these symptoms:

Trouble falling or staying asleep
Waking up too early
Feeling tired and irritable
Daytime sleepiness
Mood changes
Lack of motivation
Attention, concentration, or memory problems
Making errors at work, school, or while driving
Tension headaches or stomach aches
Frustration or worry about sleep

Answered: Can you use over-the-counter sleep medicines to treat chronic insomnia?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:50:25 +0000

An OTC product may help with an occasional sleepless night, but it's inappropriate for chronic insomnia. Chronic insomnia could be a sign of a serious condition, so see your doctor.

Answered: What's the treatment for short-term insomnia?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:49:55 +0000

If you have short-term insomnia, you may just need good sleep habits and self-care, such as:

Avoid naps during the day.
Don't hang out in bed; save it for sleep.
Go to bed at the same time every night.
Exercise.
Make your bedroom comfortable. Keep it dark, quiet, and not too cold or warm.
Use a sleeping mask to block light or use earplugs or a fan to block noise.
Relax before bedtime by reading, listening to calming music, bathing, or doing another relaxing activity.
Don’t eat a heavy meal late in the day.

Answered: How do I treat chronic insomnia?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:49:22 +0000

If you have chronic insomnia, getting treatment for any underlying health condition or other problem may help you to sleep better. If you still have insomnia, your doctor may suggest behavioral therapy, which is often used when insomnia stems from the mind or body being unable to relax. Behavioral therapy teaches you how to change behaviors that worsen insomnia and learn new ways to promote sleep.

Answered: How do doctors diagnose insomnia?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:48:38 +0000

To diagnose insomnia, your doctor will ask about your sleep patterns and habits, stress levels, medical history, level of physical activity, and use of medications, alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, and illegal substances. You'll also get a physical exam, and you might need to keep a sleep diary. In some cases, your doctor may refer you to a sleep disorders specialist for an evaluation. The specialist may ask you to do an overnight sleep study at home or at a special sleep center.

Answered: What lifestyle changes will help with insomnia?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:48:10 +0000

Use these better-sleep tips to help treat your insomnia:

Try not to worry about sleep.
Make your bedroom comfortable. Keep it dark, quiet, and not too cold or warm.
Use a sleeping mask to block light or use earplugs or a fan to block noise.
Relax before bedtime by reading, listening to calming music, bathing, or doing another relaxing activity.
Don’t eat a heavy meal late in the day.
If you can’t sleep and don’t feel drowsy, avoid lying in bed. Get up and read or do something that’s not stimulating until you feel sleepy.

Answered: What causes primary insomnia?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:47:44 +0000

With primary insomnia, sleep problems aren't directly connected to any other health problem. Instead, they are triggered by major stress, emotional upset, travel, and work schedules. But even after such causes go away, the insomnia may persist. You can also develop primary insomnia because of certain habits, such as taking naps or worrying about sleep.

Answered: What causes primary bedwetting?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:47:08 +0000

The cause is likely due to one or a combination of the following:

The child cannot yet hold urine for the entire night.
The child does not waken when his or her bladder is full.
The child produces a large amount of urine during the evening and night hours.
The child has poor daytime toilet habits. Many children habitually ignore the urge to urinate and put off urinating as long as they possibly can. Parents usually are familiar with the leg crossing, face straining, squirming, squatting, and groin holding that children use to hold back urine.

Answered: Do sleeping pills treat insomnia?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:46:26 +0000

If you've tried everything else and still have trouble getting through your day because of poor sleep, your doctor may prescribe sleeping pills for a few weeks. Commonly used sleep aids include sedatives, minor tranquilizers, and anti-anxiety drugs. Most are safe if a doctor supervises their use. Follow the directions exactly, since some sleep aids can become habit-forming or pose the potential for overdose if not used as directed.

Answered: What are the types of bedwetting?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:45:59 +0000

There are 2 types of bedwetting: primary and secondary. Primary means bedwetting that has been ongoing since early childhood without a break. A child with primary bedwetting has never been dry at night for any significant length of time. Secondary bedwetting is bedwetting that starts up after the child has been dry at night for a significant period of time, at least 6 months.

Answered: How can neurological problems cause secondary bedwetting?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:45:27 +0000

Abnormalities in the nervous system, or injury or disease of the nervous system, can upset the delicate neurological balance that controls urination.

Answered: How can structural or anatomical abnormalities cause secondary bedwetting?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:45:02 +0000

An abnormality in the organs, muscles, or nerves involved in urination can cause incontinence or other urinary problems that could show up as bedwetting.

Answered: What causes children's nightmares?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:44:30 +0000

No one knows exactly how or why nightmares happen. However, being too tired, not getting enough sleep, having an irregular routine for sleep, and having stress or anxiety may all make them more likely. Nightmares can be related to the child’s stage of development. Most nightmares are a normal part of coping with changes in our lives. For children, they could be related to events such as starting school, moving to a new neighborhood, or living through a family divorce or remarriage.

Answered: How can emotional problems cause secondary bedwetting?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:43:46 +0000

A stressful home life, as in a home where the parents are in conflict, sometimes causes children to wet the bed. Major changes, such as starting school, a new baby, or moving to a new home, are other stresses that can also cause bedwetting. Children who are being physically or sexually abused sometimes begin bedwetting.

Answered: What role does genetics play in bedwetting?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:43:16 +0000

Bedwetting does tend to run in families. Many children who wet the bed have a parent who did too. Most of these children stop bedwetting on their own at about the same age their parent did.

Answered: Why does my child wet the bed?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:42:46 +0000

Though bedwetting can be a symptom of an underlying disease, most children who wet the bed have no underlying disease that explains their bedwetting. In fact, an underlying condition is identified in only about 1% of children who routinely wet the bed.

That does not mean that the child who wets the bed can control it or is doing it on purpose. Children who wet are not lazy, willful, or disobedient. Bedwetting is most often a developmental issue.

Answered: How can a urinary tract infection cause secondary bedwetting?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:42:14 +0000

The resulting bladder irritation can cause pain or irritation with urination, a stronger urge to urinate (urgency), and frequent urination (frequency). Urinary tract infections in children may indicate another problem, such as an anatomical abnormality.

Answered: How long does insomnia last?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:41:03 +0000

Insomnia can be short-term (acute). Or it can come in a long-lasting, chronic form. When insomnia comes at least 3 nights a week for 3 months or longer, doctors consider it chronic. Insomnia can also come and go, with periods when you have no sleep problems.

Answered: What should you put in a sleep diary if you have insomnia?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:39:38 +0000

If you’ve made lifestyle changes and still have sleep problems, write down in a journal:

Time you went to bed
Approximate time you fell asleep
Time you woke up
Number of times you woke up during the night
Amount of time you stayed awake during the night
Total amount of sleep you log per night
Any grogginess upon waking in the morning or during the day
Naps and their duration
Any daytime incidents of dozing off and where it happened
Any comments about particular sleep problems or quality of sleep

How are nightmares treated?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:32:27 +0000

Answered: How can you help your child cope with night terrors?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:31:53 +0000

Make your child's room safe to try to prevent him from being injured during an episode.
Have them avoid caffeine, sugar, high-energy activities, and activities involving lit screens such as cell phone games before bed.
Maintain a consistent bedtime routine and wake-up time.

There is not much you can do to help your child during the actual episode except to make sure he is safe.

Answered: What’s a sleep study?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:30:05 +0000

A sleep study, or polysomnogram (PSG), is a test that electronically transmits and records physical activities while you sleep. The recordings become data that a sleep specialist analyzes to figure out if you have a sleep disorder.

Answered: What are children's night terrors?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:29:28 +0000

Night terrors are scary life-like dreams from which it is very hard to wake. Often a child may cry out, ask for help, thrash, kick, and scream -- but cannot be comforted. Because he is so deep into the dream, he cannot hear the person trying to wake him, even though the child may look at you and seem to be awake.

Answered: What happens to your breathing when you sleep?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:28:57 +0000

During non-REM sleep (about 80% of an adult’s sleeping time), you breathe slowly and regularly. But during REM sleep, your breathing rate goes up again. That’s the time we typically dream. Breathing also becomes more shallow and less regular during this sleep phase. Some of it may be due to throat muscles relaxing or to less movement of your rib cage during REM sleep. Whenever you’re sleeping, your oxygen levels are lower and your carbon dioxide levels are higher because your level of breathing goes slightly down.

Answered: What should you do if you get leg cramps?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:27:15 +0000

Next time a leg cramp strikes, try any of these:

Stretch the muscle.
Stand on the cramped leg.
Massage the muscle.
Flex your foot.
Grab your toes and pull them toward you.
Ice the cramp.
Take a warm bath.

Answered: How are leg cramps prevented?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:26:29 +0000

Here are some simple things you can do:

Stretch during the day and before bed. Focus on your calf and foot muscles.
Drink plenty of water.
Move around during the day to exercise your feet and legs.
Wear comfortable, supportive shoes.
Sleep under loose covers, especially if you sleep on your back.

Answered: What equipment is put on the body during a sleep study or polysomnogram (PSG), and what do they do?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:25:54 +0000

During a sleep study or polysomnogram (PSG), sticky electrodes will be put on your face, scalp, chest and limbs. They'll send electrical signals, which are generated by your brain and muscle activity, to measuring equipment. While you sleep, these signals are recorded. The sensors record your brain activity, heart rate, heart rhythm, and blood pressure.

Answered: What kind of a sleep study is a diagnostic daytime multiple sleep latency test (MSLT)?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:25:08 +0000

A diagnostic daytime multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) is used to diagnose narcolepsy and to find out how sleepy you are in the daytime. It measures how quickly you fall asleep in quiet situations during the day. It also monitors how quickly and how often you enter REM sleep. To ensure accurate results, it's done on the morning after a diagnostic overnight PSG.

Answered: How can medications help people with sleeplessness resulting from pain?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:23:57 +0000

Some drugs ease pain, which can help with sleep. Other medicines are available to just aid sleep problems. Many people need both. But don't treat chronic pain and insomnia on your own. Over-the-counter drugs are not intended for long-term use. Instead, talk to your health care provider so you can get a personalized treatment plan.

What is chronotherapy for circadian rhythm disorder?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:19:43 +0000

Answered: Can benzodiazepines help treat circadian rhythm disorder?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:19:03 +0000

Drugs called short-acting benzodiazepines are often prescribed in the early treatment of a circadian rhythm disorder and are used along with behavioral therapy. Long-term use of these medications is not recommended due to potential side effects, such as the rebound phenomenon (the original problem returns at a higher level), and the risk of developing a dependence on these drugs.

Answered: How can I treat pain and sleeplessness?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:18:28 +0000

There is no perfect treatment for pain and sleeplessness. It all depends on your particular case -- the kind of pain you have and the other medications you take, for instance.

The first step for anyone with sleep problems is to improve their sleep habits. This helps set the stage for a good night's rest.