Sleep Health Center

Postsurgical fatigue is normal and is due to a variety of factors. Depression, stress, and anxiety may produce fatigue. Sleep deficits, certain medications, anemia, blood loss, fasting, and loss of electrolytes and minerals associated with surgery can also produce fatigue. Exercise, physical exertion, aging, and the overall health status of patients are additional factors that play a role in making people feel tired after surgery.

CPAP machines treat sleep apnea by delivering a continuous supply of oxygen to your body as you’re sleeping. Studies have shown that the benefits of CPAP machines outweigh the drawbacks when it comes to treating sleep apnea.

Bedwetting, or nocturnal enuresis, is the accidental passage of urine while asleep. There are two types of bedwetting: primary and secondary. Primary enuresis is bedwetting since infancy, and secondary enuresis is bedwetting after being consistently dry for at least 6 months.

Biologic rhythms, or biorhythms, are how our bodies respond to the regular phases of the sun, moon, and seasons. A medical chronobiologist studies how the "body clock" or biorhythms affect diseases and how the body clock responds to the treatment of diseases and conditions at different times of the day.

Dizziness can be a symptom of sleep apnea, especially if it is associated with other symptoms such as snoring, disturbed sleep, and daytime sleepiness. Learn how sleep apnea causes dizziness and when to seek medical treatment. Check out the center below for more medical references on sleep apnea, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related diseases, treatment, diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.

According to the National Health Foundation, we all have four to six dreams every night. A few dreams we remember, whereas the most we forget. Humans have been studying dreams and their significance since ancient times.

Melatonin can increase the side effects of antidepressants or reduce their effectiveness. Learn about the uses and side effects of melatonin and antidepressants. Check out the center below for more medical references on sleep disorders and depression, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related diseases, treatment, diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.

Snoring can wake you up at night, and if it happens frequently it may be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea. Learn about causes and treatment for snoring.

Learn what medical treatments can ease symptoms of sleep deprivation and help you recover from years of sleeping badly.

If you have an overactive bladder and get up frequently at night to use the bathroom, it can be difficult to get quality sleep. Here are 4 tips for getting better sleep with an overactive bladder.

Melatonin gummies are easy to consume, making them the greatest option for sleeping aids.

Insomnia is the medical term for the inability to fall asleep or to stay asleep not just for one night but from several days to months. Nearly 35 out of every 100 people suffer from insomnia.

Adequate quantity and quality of sleep are important for you to stay healthy, both mentally and physically. While for a blessed few dozing off is an easy affair, going to sleep can be a struggle for many. Falling asleep in a short while, such as in 2 minutes, may be achieved by following certain tips and sleep rituals.

Sleep apnea is a medical condition where the breathing cycle stops for a short while during sleep. It is a potentially serious condition that can cause several complications including heart diseases and high blood pressure.

If the thought of nightmares or paralysis makes you anxious, you may have somniphobia. Here’s how to overcome fear of sleep and when to seek treatment.

Restless leg syndrome typically flares up at night, which can affect your quality of sleep and leave you feeling drowsy and irritable during the day. However, utilizing these ten lifestyle changes can help you manage your RLS symptoms.

Snoring is a condition in which during sleep, the tissues in the back of the throat vibrate as air passes over them. Home remedies to cure some people who snore include avoiding alcohol, quitting smoking, throat exercises, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Medical treatments to stop snoring include assistive breathing devices such as the CPAP. If snoring is caused by a medical condition, for example, high blood pressure, the cause needs to be treated. There are other types of surgery to help you stop snoring.

Sleep is an important part of your body's functions. Getting too little or too much sleep can have a negative impact on your heart.

Numerous studies have concluded that laser treatment (also known as uvulopalatoplasty) is not a good treatment alternative for snoring.

Polysomnography (PSG) is the study of sleep patterns and the body’s response to the various stages of the sleep cycle. The PSG is conducted in a sleep laboratory overnight.

Insomnia is trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. The three types of insomnia include transient insomnia, short-term insomnia, and chronic insomnia.

Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) is currently the most common surgery performed for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) or snoring in the United States. It is performed only if weight loss, nasal medications, and nasal dilators do not help reduce snoring.

Snoring is caused by the vibrations of the soft tissues at the back of the nose and throat while a person sleeps. There are many causes of snoring like being pregnant, allergies, asthma, colds, the flu, excess alcohol, some medications, smoking, and sleep position. Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition that causes snoring and can be serious. Treatments to reduce or stop snoring include lifestyle changes, home remedies, antisnoring devices and aids, medical treatments, and at times, surgery.

Hypersomnia is defined as excessive sleepiness. This can be either in the form of recurrent episodes of excessive daytime sleepiness or prolonged night sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, 20 out of 100 people suffer from hypersomnia.

Insomnia is the perception or complaint of inadequate or poor-quality sleep because of difficulty falling asleep; waking up frequently during the night with difficulty returning to sleep; waking up too early in the morning; or unrefreshing sleep. Secondary insomnia is the most common type of insomnia. Treatment for insomnia includes lifestyle changes, cognitive behavioral therapy, and medication.

Insomnia is difficulty in falling or staying asleep, the absence of restful sleep, or poor quality of sleep. Insomnia is a symptom and not a disease. The most common causes of insomnia are medications, psychological conditions, environmental changes, and stressful events. Treatments may include non-drug treatments, over-the-counter medicines, and/or prescription medications.

You need to drink water and you need sleep, but when and how much are equally disputed. Drinking too much water before bed can override this programming, causing potential problems with your sleep. But there are plenty of benefits to drinking water before bed, too, so let's look at both sides.

You can take your mind off of your everyday thoughts and stresses by playing music. Music is a great option to help improve your sleep.

Although consider generally safe, taking melatonin and Ambien together may increase side effects and sedation. Check out the center below for more medical references on sleep disorders, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related disease conditions, treatment and diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.

Currently, most of the insurance companies do not pay for snoring treatments as an isolated problem. Because NightLase is a simple laser procedure without the use of any anesthesia or heavy equipment, insurance does not cover its cost.

Valerian root is one of the most popular alternatives to sleep medications. While valerian is a herb, Xanax and Valium are considered benzodiazepines (benzos).

Jet lag (desynchonosis) is a temporary disorder that results from travel across time zones. Symptoms include anxiety, constipation, headache, nausea, dehydration, diarrhea, confusion, sweating, irritability, and even memory loss.

The causes of narcolepsy, a chronic disease of the central nervous system, have not been fully determined. Some theories include abnormalities in hypocretin neurons in the brain or an autoimmune disorder. Symptoms of narcolepsy include excessive daytime sleepiness, sleep paralysis, cataplexy, hypnagogic hallucinations, disturbed nocturnal sleep, and automatic behavior. Diagnosis of narcolepsy is based on a clinical evaluation, specific questionnaires, sleep logs or diaries, and the results of sleep laboratory tests. Treatments of narcolepsy symptoms include medication and lifestyle changes.

Night sweats are severe hot flashes that occur at night and result in a drenching sweat. The causes of night sweats in most people are not serious, like menopause in women, sleep apnea, medications, alcohol withdrawal, and thyroid problems. However, more serious diseases like cancer and HIV also can cause night sweats. Your doctor will treat your night sweats depending upon the cause. You may experience other signs and symptoms that are associated with night sweats, which depend upon the cause, but may include, shaking, and chills with a fever caused by an infection like the flu or pneumonia; unexplained weight loss due to lymphoma; women in perimenopause or menopause may also have vaginal dryness, mood swings, and hot flashes during the day; and low blood sugar in people with diabetes. Other causes of night sweats include medications like NSAIDs (aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), antidepressants, sildenafil (Viagra), and abuse of prescription or illegal drugs and drug withdrawal; hormone disorders like pheochromocytoma and carcinoid syndrome; idiopathic hyperhidrosis; infections like endocarditis, AIDs, and abscesses; alcoholism and alcohol withdrawal; drug abuse, addiction, and withdrawal; and stroke. A doctor or other health care professional can treat your night sweats after the cause has been diagnosed.

Periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD) is a sleep disorder characterized by rhythmic movements of the limbs during sleep. The movements typically involve the legs, but upper extremity movements may also occur. Movements occur periodically throughout the night and can fluctuate in severity from one night to the next. They tend to cluster in episodes that last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. These movements are very different from the normal spasms, called hypnic myoclonia, that we often experience initially while trying to fall asleep.

Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a common cause of painful legs that typically eases with motion, and becomes worse and more noticeable at rest. This characteristic nighttime worsening can frequently lead to insomnia. Treatment of the symptoms of restless leg syndrome is generally with medication as well as treating any underlying condition causing restless leg syndrome.

Several vital tasks carried out during sleep help maintain good health and enable people to function at their best. Sleep needs vary from individual to individual and change throughout your life. The National Institutes of Health recommends about 7-9 hours of sleep each night for older, school-aged children, teens, and most average adults; 10-12 for preschool-aged children; and 16-18 hours for newborns. There are two stages of sleep: 1) REM sleep (rapid-eye movement), and 2) NREM sleep (non-rapid-eye movement).

Sleep apnea is defined as a reduction or cessation of breathing during sleep. The three types of sleep apnea are central apnea, obstructive apnea (OSA), and a mixture of central and obstructive apnea. Central sleep apnea is caused by the brain's failure to activate breathing muscles during sleep. OSA is caused by the collapse of the airway during sleep. OSA is diagnosed and evaluated through patient history, physical examination, and polysomnography. There are many complications related to obstructive sleep apnea. Treatments are surgical and non-surgical.

Sleep needs in children and teenagers depend on the age of the child. Sleep disorders in children such as: sleep apnea, parasomnias, confusional arousals, night terrors, nightmares, narcolepsy, and sleepwalking which can affect a child's or teen's sleep. Healthy sleep habits and good sleep hygiene can help your infant, toddler, preschooler, tween, or teenager get a good night's sleep.

Some people may experience hallucinations during sleep paralysis. The hallucinations may last from a few seconds to a few minutes.

Sleep-related breathing disorders are characterized by disruptions of normal breathing patterns that only occur during sleep. Snoring and sleep apnea are the most common sleep-related breathing disorders.

Sleepwalking is a condition in which an individual walks or does other activities while asleep. Factors associated with sleepwalking include genetic, environmental, and physiological. Episodes of sleepwalking may include quiet walking to agitated running. Conditions that may have similar symptoms of sleepwalking, but are not include night terrors, confusional arousals, and nocturnal seizures. Treatment of sleepwalking generally includes preventative measures. Medication may be prescribed if necessary.

Snoring, like all other sounds, is caused by vibrations that cause particles in the air to form sound waves. While we are asleep, turbulent airflow can cause the tissues of the nose and throat to vibrate and give rise to snoring. Any person can snore. Snoring is believed to occur in anywhere from 30% of women to over 45% of men. People who snore can have any body type. In general, as people get older and as they gain weight, snoring will worsen. Snoring can be caused by a number of things, including the sleep position, alcohol, medication, anatomical structure of the mouth and throat, stage of sleep, and mouth breathing.

The five types of insomnia are as follows: acute insomnia, chronic insomnia, onset insomnia, maintenance insomnia, and behavioral insomnia of childhood.

How do you know if you are deprived of sleep? Learn the signs and symptoms of sleep deprivation.

A sleep study is the study of physiological parameters while a person sleeps. It measures your tissue oxygen levels, heart rate, electroencephalogram, blood pressure, and respiratory pattern.

Insomnia is defined as repeated difficulty with sleep initiation, maintenance, consolidation, or quality that occurs despite adequate time and opportunity for sleep and results in some form of daytime impairment. There are three types of insomnia.

Teeth often represent our strengths, abilities, and pride. Dreaming about your teeth falling out may represent fears of being powerless. You may have bizarre dreams about either losing one of your teeth or all. The dreams could probably indicate your inability to hold things together in life or fears or anxieties you’re battling with.

According to experts, when you have a distressing dream concerning someone, it is you who is mentally affected due to stress or a recent traumatic event that causes such dreams.

As per studies, slow music or classical music is more relaxing that can help you sleep. Classical music or instrumental music can help slow the pulse and decrease levels of stress hormones. Relaxing music triggers changes to the body and, in many ways, mimics a sleepy state.

Fatal familial insomnia is caused by a faulty variant of the PRNP gene, which is inherited from the affected parent. Check out the center below for more medical references on insomnia, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related disease conditions, treatment and diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.

An individual should be concerned about night sweats when they have been ongoing for two weeks or longer.

There is a lack of convincing scientific evidence to say that you should face your bed in a “particular” way or direction. However, as per the ancient Chinese practice, feng shui, you should face your headboard toward the south.

There are several reasons why it's hard to fall asleep alone, but there are many things you can do to combat the problem. You may have a hard time sleeping by yourself because of fear, bad habits, hormones or grief.

Snoring loudly is often caused by factors such as your weight, anatomy of your mouth, allergies, a cold, or anything that causes your airways to narrow.

"Beauty sleep" is called so for a reason. We need a minimum of six to eight hours of undisturbed sleep for a healthy body and an alert mind. Frequent awakenings and poor-quality sleep have been known to cause obesity, hypertension, and even diabetes.

Leg pain at night is likely caused by one of several reasons, such as muscle cramps, blood clots, pregnancy, and gout. Check out the center below for more medical references on leg pain, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related disease conditions, treatment and diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.