Symptoms of a Sleep Disorder

Sleep disorders are fairly common; one in three Americans experience the symptoms of a sleep disorder in their lifetime. Both children and adults can suffer from sleep disorders. Lack of sleep due to sleep disorders can have negative repercussions on other aspects of a person’s health.

Someone with a sleep disorder is more likely to develop other health problems like depression or anxiety, hypertension, high blood pressure, stroke, or heart attack. Sleep disorders can also be connected to job impairment, industrial accidents, and driving fatalities.

Sleep Apnea is a disorder in which breathing is interrupted during sleep. A person with sleep apnea may stop breathing for up to 100 seconds as they sleep. This prevents enough oxygen from circulating through the bloodstream, causing high blood pressure and heart problems.

Narcolepsy, a neurological disorder, causes people to feel extremely tired at any time during the day.  Often, they are unable to control when it is that they fall asleep, and they may experience muscle weakness, sleep paralysis, and hallucinations.

Restless Legs Syndrome causes people to feel restless and unable to stay still when trying to go to sleep.  People often cannot get rid of the urge to get up and move around. Because of this, it can be difficult to get enough sleep at night.

There are many other sleep-related disorders. If you suspect you may have a sleep disorder, talk to your doctor about what treatment options may be best for you.

Below is a list of symptoms associated with sleep disorders. Talk to your doctor if you experience one or more of these symptoms.

If you suspect you might have a sleep disorder, your doctor may recommend a sleep study. This allows doctors to monitor breathing, heart activity, and body movements while a patient rests. Sometimes a similar test can be done at home. The patient then will bring the tests back to their doctor where they can be evaluated.

Crisp Regional Hospital’s Sleep Center provides sleep studies in a comfortable environment. Each room is carefully designed to make you feel comfortable and at home during your sleep study.

If you have difficulty sleeping because of symptoms that may be due to a sleep disorder, talk to your doctor about participating in a sleep study or other tests so that you can receive the treatment that is right for you and that will allow you to sleep well.