You may struggle with sleep for one or more reasons. Our Sentara Sleep Center specialists can help determine which challenges you face:
Advanced Sleep Phase Syndrome (ASPS) and Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome (DSPS)
Both syndromes involve sleeping and waking at inconvenient times. A person with ASPS will wake earlier than his or her desired time. Someone with DSPS falls asleep much later than he or she wishes.
Insomnia
Insomnia is an inability to fall asleep or stay asleep, either for a temporary or extended amount of time. Ten percent of people suffer from insomnia.
Narcolepsy
This condition is marked by excessive drowsiness during the day, with a tendency to sleep at inappropriate times. Patients often suffer from cataplexy, which is muscle weakness or collapse triggered by stress or strong emotions.
Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD)
People with this disorder experience repetitive, involuntary leg movements and occasionally arm movements that usually begin when they’re asleep. Patients may have difficulty falling asleep and remaining asleep or may experience excessive daytime sleepiness.
Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Sleep Behavior Disorder
All body muscles, except those used in breathing and eye movements, are normally paralyzed during REM sleep. In some people, usually older men, the paralysis is incomplete or absent and allows them to violently “act out” their dreams. Their movements can potentially lead to injury for the patient or his or her bed partner.
Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)
RLS is described as “creepy, crawly” leg sensations when patients are sitting or lying still, especially at bedtime. It is felt most often in the calves and relieved by movement. Although it occurs when a patient is awake, it can affect his or her ability to fall asleep and stay asleep and can result in extreme fatigue during the day.
Sleep Apnea
People with sleep apnea do not breathe properly during sleep. Their irregular breathing can lead to daytime sleepiness and may contribute to high blood pressure, heart failure, heart attacks and strokes. Warning signs of sleep apnea include loud snoring, excessive daytime sleepiness, gasping, breathing pauses, irritability, depression and forgetfulness.