Sleep Disorders

Sleep deprivation caused by insufficient sleep or poor quality sleep impairs the body’s immune system, physical reflexes, emotional stability, and cognitive functions. It also can lead to increased muscle, joint, and nerve pain.

There is a wide variety of sleep disorders. Some are caused by physical problems, such as an airway obstruction that leads to sleep apnea, or when chronic pain or indigestion/reflux interrupts sleep. Sleep problems also can occur as a side effect of taking certain medications or supplements.

Often emotional difficulties, such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety are associated with sleep issues. In many, if not most cases, patients will discover that several factors are contributing to their sleep disturbance — including anxiety about not getting enough sleep!

Some commonly diagnosed sleep disorders include:

• Insomnia – Inability to fall asleep within 15-20 minutes.
• Dyssomnia – Frequent awakenings throughout the night and/or early-morning awakenings.
• Restless Leg Syndrome – When lying in bed, unpleasant “crawling” sensations in the legs that create an irresistible and sleep-disruptive urge to move one’s legs.
• Sleepwalking – Walking or engaging in other activities while sleeping.
• Sleep Apnea – Obstruction of airway during sleep, causing breathing irregularities that interrupt and interfere with sleep. Sufferers are at higher risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. Snoring may be a sign or symptom of sleep apnea, so it’s something you should mention to your doctor. If you think you may have sleep apnea, take our short quiz to find out.

So, how do you improve the quality of your sleep?

Identifying if you have a sleep disorder is the first step. To help us detect sleep apnea as well as providing markers for quality of sleep, we prescribe our patients WatchPAT ONE a recyclable Home Sleep Apnea Test (HSAT) that utilizes Bluetooth technology to sync with your smartphone. WatchPAT ONE can be a valuable tool to help us monitor if there is adequate amounts of Deep and REM sleep, apnea episodes, oxygen and heart rate, snoring, movement, and more. More information…

Your initial medical evaluation at the Kaplan Center will include a comprehensive assessment of your sleep history.  You’ll also be asked about the specific nature of your symptoms, the overall status of your health, the medications and therapies you’ve tried in the past, and what has and hasn’t worked for you.

Our physicians understand the relationship between sleep disorders and chronic illness or pain, and they have experience prescribing the newer medications that can help restore delta-wave sleep. Finally, they also have expertise using a variety of alternative approaches to you help to improve your sleep.

Your Kaplan physician will work with you to create a customized, multi-dimensional treatment plan that addresses the root causes of your sleep disorder as well as any possible underlying or co-existing conditions.

Treatments may include:

• Acupuncture
• Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine
• Herbal & Homeopathic Remedies
• Medication Management
• Nutritional Counseling to help you make lifestyle changes, such as improving your nutrition and developing a regular exercise regime.
• Mind/Body Relaxation Techniques
• Hormonal Balancing

Additional Resources:

Epworth Sleepiness Scale: Do You Have Sleep Apnea? Take this short quiz to find out.
Sleep Test: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) – The PSQI is a short questionnaire that provides an excellent, overall objective test to evaluate the quality of your sleep.
Article: Downshift Your Day and Get Set for Restful Sleep
Website: Sleep Apnea Information Page, The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)