Nearly one-third of all Americans experience sleep problems or sleep disorders at some point in their lives. Untreated sleep disorders can have a profound, intrusive impact on your life - causing painful headaches, weight gain, loss of memory, depression, elevated blood pressure, and excessive sleepiness during the day.
Sleep is absolutely essential to a healthy life and without it, serious medical conditions can result.
Sleep Clinic of America™ commonly sees patients with these frequent sleep disorder symptoms: difficulty to fall and/or stay asleep (insomnia), excessive daytime sleepiness, loud snoring, pauses in breathing during sleep (sleep apnea), restless legs and unrestful sleep. Sleep Clinic of America is available for physician office visits Monday through Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm for patients of all ages. Sleep studies are conducted 7 days a week and are arranged around your normal sleeping schedule. For an appointment call 352-527-6673.
- Snoring and Sleep Apnea Syndrome Snoring by itself may not be all that dangerous, however, it is a signal that breathing during sleep may be abnormal. When you don't breathe properly in sleep, your brain does not receive the oxygen it needs. Individuals with sleep apnea are at higher risk for heart disease and stroke. Symptoms include: Loud, persistent snoring and snorting; pauses in breathing during sleep; waking with a dry mouth or headache; waking feeling un-refreshed; excessive sleepiness during the day depression, and/or low libido.
- Insomnia Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder. Insomnia can range from occasional to chronic but is best described as a persistent difficulty getting to sleep, staying asleep, or premature morning awakening. Symptoms include: Trouble getting to sleep; trouble staying asleep; un-refreshing sleep; feeling fatigued, sleepy, or depressed due to lack of sleep.
- Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) RLS is a disorder that can make it difficult to fall asleep or to get back to sleep. It is a disorder that affects legs and/or arms and involves your brain, spinal cord, and muscles. With RLS, uncomfortable and often very distressing feelings in your limbs make it difficult to sleep. Symptoms include: Creepy crawly sensations in the legs or arms, especially when at rest; uncomfortable sensations relieved by rubbing or moving around; symptoms begin in the early evening and intensify as bedtime approaches.
- Narcolepsy The brain is designed to keep us alert and awake to function well during the day. For some people the urge to sleep, despite sleeping okay at night, is irresistible. In some cases, sleep overcomes an individual at the most inopportune times such as while driving, at school, or at work. The brain's balance between staying awake and going to sleep can be dysfunctional leading to involuntary sleep episodes. Sleepiness may be accompanied by some unusual symptoms that are unique to narcolepsy. Symptoms include: Sleep attacks; often fighting to stay awake; excessive sleepiness; feeling frozen or paralyzed upon waking; feeling a loss of muscle tone in response to strong emotion like laughing or being angry; hearing or seeing something as you fall asleep or wake up that you know later was not really there.
- Parasomnias Unwanted Behaviors in Sleep We all think of sleep and wake as being completely independent of each other. However, for some people the brain overlaps between the waking and sleeping states. When this happens, undesirable sleep behaviors may occur. These behaviors are more commonly seen in childhood and are usually not a serious concern except when they are intense and disrupt the family. In adults, unsafe and dangerous sleep behaviors may occur. Symptoms include: acting out dreams; sleep walking; sleep eating; night terrors; sleep-related violence or injury.
- Shift Work and Circadian Sleep Disorders Shift Work or Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders affect people who commonly rotate shifts or work during the night. This disorder occurs most frequently among people who work between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. These work schedules work against the body's natural Circadian Rhythm and often result in insomnia and excessive sleepiness. Symptoms include: Insomnia; excessive sleepiness; difficulty concentrating; headaches; lack of energy.
- Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) A CPAP is a device that gently blows pressurized air into the nose via a mask that is placed over the nose and/or mouth. For individuals with sleep apnea, the CPAP device holds the air passageway open so that a normal sleep pattern can be developed. CPAP is the most effective method for treating sleep apnea.
- Behavioral Therapy The American College of Physicians (ACP) recommends Cognitive Behavior Therapy as the first treatment option in persons with chronic insomnia. Use of medication is No longer the first option. The choice to use medications should be based on shared decision-making, and prescriptions should be limited to five weeks or less. Any patient that is on chronic sleeping pills should be given the option of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in the management of their insomnia.