Sleep Disorders

About Sleep | Sleep Hygiene | Common Myths About Sleep | Sleep Disorders

There are numerous disorders that can be assessed during a Sleep Study. Some of these can be potentially serious but are all treatable once diagnosed correctly. If these remain untreated, they can cause a reduction in quality of life, your span of life as well as physical and mental health.
Here are a few recognisable ones:

Sleep Apnoea

Normal Breathing
 Obstructuve Sleep Apnoea
Occurs when there is a complete obstruction in your upper airway passages that does not allow the air to be inhaled or exhaled even though your chest and abdomen are still moving. A Hypopnoea is a slight closure where air can still travel through the airways but not as effectively Snoring and sleep apnoea can lead to hypertension, stroke, impotence, heart attacks and vehicle accidents. For further information on Sleep Apnoea and treatment visit the CPAP Masks and Tubing website.

Bruxism

A condition in which you grind, gnash or clench your teeth. If you have bruxism, you may unconsciously clench your teeth together during the day or grind them at night, which is called sleep bruxism.

Bruxism may be mild and may not even require treatment. However, it can be frequent and severe enough to lead to jaw disorders, headaches, facial pain, damaged teeth, earaches and other problems. Because you may have sleep bruxism and be unaware of it until complications develop, it's important to know the signs and symptoms of bruxism and to seek regular dental care.

May also be due to physical or psychological causes.

Periodic Limb Movement Disorder

Periodic limb movements in sleep are repetitive movements, most typically in the lower limbs, that occur about every 20-40 seconds. If you have PLMS, or sleep with someone who has PLMS you may recognize these movements as brief muscle twitches, jerking movements or an upward flexing of the feet. They cluster into episodes lasting anywhere from a few minutes to several hours.

Individuals with PLMS may also experience restless legs syndrome (RLS), an irritation or uncomfortable sensation in the calves or thighs, as they attempt to fall asleep or when they awaken during the night. Walking or stretching may relieve the sensations, at least temporarily. However research also shows that many individuals have PLMS without experiencing any symptoms at all. It's not unusual for the bed partner to be the one who's most aware of the movements, since they may disturb his/her sleep.