Sleep Disorders. Definition. Sleep is a normal recurring state that manifests as loss of responsiveness to the external environment. Sleep had been seen as a passive state that ensues in the absence of wakefulness. However, it is now known to be an active physiologic state involving dynamic changes in neural, metabolic, and cardiorespiratory function. Sleep disorders encompass a wide range of conditions that have been most recently categorized in the International Classification of Sleep Disorders, Second Edition ICSD 2. Sleep Disorders Online Medical Reference. Authored by Dr. Nancy FoldvarySchaefer of the Cleveland Clinic. The more I use BW Effects, the more I love it. It gives me the ability to select from hundreds of available presets and then finetune them to make each image. The ICSD 2 lists more than 8. Back to Top. Pathophysiology. Wedding Fans With The Program Printed On It on this page. Normal sleep and wake states are generated by a complex neuronal network in the brain and are regulated by homeostatic and circadian mechanisms. Sleep may be divided into 2 main stages rapid eye movement REM and non REM NREM sleep. REM sleep is also known as paradoxical sleep because it resembles wakefulness with desynchronized electroencephalography EEG activity, phasic events such as REM, and bursts of muscle activity. REM sleep also is characterized by dreaming. NREM sleep is characterized by synchronized EEG activity, muscle relaxation, and decreased heart rate, blood pressure, and tidal volume. Sleep homeostasis refers to the regulatory mechanism that maintains an overall constancy of sleep intensity and duration. Sleep deprivation creates a sleep debt that must be repaid, resulting in compensatory heightened pressure to sleep and eventual increased sleep intensity and duration. Conversely, excessive sleep reduces sleep propensity and amount of sleep. Sleep physiology changes with age as the brain matures and eventually degenerates. With advancing age, there is a decline in the percentage of sleep that is deep, more frequent awakenings, and sleep fragmentation. In the elderly, sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea OSA occur more frequently. Selective Desaturation Program' title='Selective Desaturation Program' />Sleep needs also vary with age, decreasing from 1. Back to Top. Signs and Symptoms. A suggested practical approach when assessing patients with sleep related disturbances is to elicit symptoms and signs according to the 3 cardinal clinical presentations of sleep disorders insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness, and abnormal movements or behavior in sleep. Insomnia. Patients with insomnia most commonly describe difficulty with falling asleep and, less commonly, difficulty maintaining sleep or a perception of unrefreshing sleep. Regardless of the cause, insomnia often results in daytime fatigue, general malaise, and, in severe cases, cognitive and mood disturbances. Thorsten Overgaard Official Homepage Since 1996 Thorsten von Overgaard is a Danish writer and photographer, specializing in portrait photography and documentary. Chronic insomnia often affects social and occupational functioning and diminishes quality of life. In patients with insomnia related to medical and psychiatric conditions, associated manifestations include chronic pain or other physical discomfort, depression, anxiety, and, often psychosocial stressors. Neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson disease and dementia, are commonly associated with sleep disturbance. Medications such as steroids, bronchodilators, and some antidepressants can cause insomnia, so taking a careful drug history from the patient is important. Chronic insomnia is often multifactorial, encompassing components related to psychophysiologic issues, drugs, and underlying disease, as well as maladaptive behaviors. Inadequate sleep hygiene, a common problem of patients with chronic insomnia, is classified in the ICSD 2 as a distinct insomnia diagnosis. This term refers to a range of well recognized sleep incompatible behaviors, which include excessive use of substances that disrupt sleep eg, caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol, mentally or physically arousing activities close to bedtime, excessive napping or time in bed, irregular sleep wake times, and preoccupation with sleep difficulty. Excessive Daytime Sleepiness. Excessive daytime sleepiness refers to the inability to stay alert during the major awake period of the day, resulting in falling asleep at inappropriate times. Excessive daytime sleepiness is more likely to occur in monotonous situations when alerting stimuli are absent, and it is associated with increased risk of accidents, such as when operating motor vehicles or other machinery. The severity of sleepiness can be quantified subjectively using scales such as the Epworth Sleepiness Scale Table 1 or can be measured objectively in the sleep laboratory using the multiple sleep latency test MSLT or maintenance of wakefulness test MWT. Shrek 2 The Game Cheats more. The MSLT measures the physiologic tendency to fall asleep in quiet situations, and the MWT measures the ability to stay awake in quiet situations. Table 1. Epworth Sleepiness ScaleHow likely are you to doze off or fall asleep in the following situations, in contrast to feeling just tiredThis refers to your usual way of life in recent times. Even if you have not done some of these things recently try to work out how they would have affected you. Use the following scale to choose the most appropriate number for each situation. Situation. Score. Sitting and reading Watching television Sitting inactive in a public place e. As a passenger in a car for an hour without a break Lying down to rest in the afternoon when circumstances permit Sitting and talking to someone Sitting quietly after a lunch without alcohol In a car, while stopped for a few minutes in traffic Total score  score of 1. Abnormal Movements or Behavior in Sleep. These conditions encompass the NREM and REM parasomnias, sleep related movement disorders mainly, restless leg syndrome RLS and periodic limb movement disorder PLMD, and sleep related epilepsy. The NREM parasomnias are disorders of arousal seen usually in the pediatric population and include confusional arousals, sleepwalking, and sleep terrors. The REM parasomnias include nightmare disorder and REM sleep behavior disorder RBD. Because the synchronized state of NREM sleep facilitates epileptic activity in general, some epileptic syndromes have a marked tendency to manifest predominantly during sleep and must be distinguished from the parasomnias, which usually requires EEG documentation of epileptiform discharges. Epileptic phenomena are characterized by repetitive stereotypic behavior, but they can be difficult to distinguish clinically from nonepileptic phenomena. Back to Top. Diagnosis. Most sleep disorders can be diagnosed by a comprehensive sleep history, which includes a detailed account of routine sleep related habits eg, bedtime, wake time, and number of awakenings, sleep duration, sleeping environment, daytime activities, psychosocial stressors, current drug use, and abnormal behavior in sleep. Important collateral information is often provided by a bed partner, other observer, or family member regarding behavior that the patient may be unaware of, such as snoring or acting out dreams. Sleep questionnaires detailing pertinent sleep related information and sleep logs are often useful, especially in documenting sleep wake patterns in the circadian rhythm sleep disorders. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale is often used to assess the level of daytime sleepiness and to monitor the response to therapeutic interventions. A score of 1. 0 or more indicates that the patient is considered sleepy. Diagnosis of most sleep disorders can be made on the medical history alone, which is based on pattern recognition of clinical characteristics determined from the comprehensive sleep history and a physical examination. Sleep Disorders Manifesting with Insomnia.