Sleep Disorders

SNORING

According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, 45% of normal adults snore occasionally, and 25% are habitual snorers. Problem snoring is more frequent in males and overweight people, and it usually worsens with aging.

WHY PEOPLE SNORE

Snoring occurs when there is an obstruction to the free flow of air through the passages at the back of the mouth and nose. This area is the collapsible part of the airway where the tongue and upper throat meet the soft palate and uvula. Snoring occurs when these structures strike each other and vibrate during breathing. Reasons for this include poor muscle tone in the tongue and throat, bulkiness of throat tissue, an oversized neck, a long soft palate or uvula and nasal passage obstruction.

PROTECT YOUR HEALTH

Snoring disturbs sleeping patterns and deprives the snorer of appropriate rest. When snoring is severe, it can potentially cause serious, long-term health problems, including obstructive sleep apnea, which can have life-threatening consequences.

OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA

Obstructive sleep apnea poses significant risk to your health because it can cause you to involuntarily stop breathing for up to 60 seconds while sleeping. Even more alarming, this can happen up to 30 times per hour. In sleep apnea, the muscles in the walls of your throat (pharynx) relax, which causes the tongue and uvula and other pharyngeal structures to sag and block the airway. Because the obstruction to breathing prevents you from ever reaching deep sleep, you will wake up feeling tired, even though you have slept all night. Sleep apnea has been linked to irregular heartbeat, heart attack, heart failure, high blood pressure and stroke.

WARNING SIGNS OF SLEEP APNEA

The American Sleep Apnea Association estimates that over 80% of people with sleep apnea don't realize they suffer from this serious sleep disorder. Common symptoms of sleep apnea that should not be ignored include: Extremely loud snoring Breathing that temporarily stops hundreds of times while sleeping Gasping or snorting for air during sleep Excessive daytime sleepiness Morning headaches

DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF SLEEP APNEA

At 1st Class Sleep Diagnostics, we offer today's state-of-the- art methods of diagnosing and treating sleep apnea. For most patients with sleep apnea, we prescribe a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, which forces air through the nose and keeps the throat from collapsing during sleep. B-PAP/ BiLevel and Auto PAP machines are also available.

INSOMNIA

Surveys of the general population suggest that 49% of adults have brief periods of difficulty sleeping at some time in their lives. For about 10% of this group, the problem becomes chronic. When patients have persistent difficulty in falling asleep, staying asleep or waking too early, the diagnosis is insomnia. The consequences of ongoing poor-quality or insufficient sleep include daytime drowsiness, poor concentration and the inability to feel refreshed and rested. Beyond that, studies have shown that those with chronic insomnia are more likely to experience major depression or develop an anxiety disorder when compared to the general population. In addition, people with insomnia are at higher risk for automobile accidents and poor job and school performance.

SYMPTOMS OF INSOMNIA

Symptoms of insomnia include: Excessive daytime sleepiness General fatigue Irritability Poor cognitive function during the day

THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF INSOMNIA

Sleep-onset insomnia, where sufferers need 30 minutes or more in order to fall asleep. Sleep-maintenance insomnia, where sufferers awaken one or more times during the night and may need up to 30 minutes to fall back asleep after each awakening. Early morning awakening insomnia, where sufferers awaken before dawn and cannot go back to sleep. Transient insomnia, which can last for one to several nights and can be triggered by stress, excitement or travel across time zones (jet lag). Intermittent insomnia, generally caused by stress, which occurs sporadically over a long period of time. Chronic insomnia, which occurs almost nightly for a month or more and may be caused by many medical conditions from depression to heart disease.

RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is an unpleasant sleep disorder. Sufferers often feel crawling, creeping, burning, itching or tugging sensations in their legs while resting or sitting for long periods of time. RLS sometimes affects the arms, as well.The sensations are often so bothersome that sleepers feel the need to move their legs frequently while trying to fall asleep. Often, they cannot achieve sleep until the feelings subside. According to the RLS Foundation in Rochester, MN, about 80% of the 12 million RLS sufferers experience periodic limb movements in sleep (PLMS). Similar to RLS, PLMS is characterized by sudden, involuntary and repetitive leg-jerking or kicking at the onset of sleep and during sleep. PLMS movements may occur every 10 to 60 seconds, possibly hundreds of times, and often disturb the sleep of bed partners. Both RLS and PLMS sufferers often feel excessive sleepiness during the day.

EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR RLS AND PLMS

1st Class Sleep Diagnostics can accurately diagnose RLS and PLMS with an advanced polysomnographic test. If our board-certified physicians determine that you have one (or both) of these sleep disorders, they will create an individualized treatment program that can bring you welcome relief. This might include medication or stretching and massaging of the legs before bedtime.

NARCOLEPSY and CATAPLEXY

Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder that causes people to fall asleep at inappropriate times for a few seconds up to 30 minutes. In other words, their daytime sleepiness is so excessive that it causes them to suffer sleep "attacks" in the course of their normal daily activities even after a full night's sleep. Narcoleptics may suddenly fall asleep while they are talking, walking, eating, driving or working. Narcolepsy may be genetic; the National Institutes of Health estimates that up to 12% of narcoleptics have a close relative with the disorder. Symptoms of narcolepsy appear in the early teen or adult years and men and women are affected in equal numbers.

CATAPLEXY

Cataplexy, which is a common symptom in narcolepsy, is characterized by a sudden inability to talk or move, sagging facial muscles, limpness in the neck or knees and complete body collapse when falling asleep or waking. Cataplexy may also bring hallucinations and frightening dreamlike experiences.

DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF NARCOLEPSY AND CATAPLEXY

At 1st Class Sleep Diagnostics, we can accurately diagnose narcolepsy and cataplexy using a state-of-the- art polysomnographic (PSG) test followed by a multiple sleep latency test (MSLT). Our board-certified physicians can effectively treat these sleep disorders with specialized medications. Lifestyle modifications may also be recommended, such as scheduled naps and changes in diet.