| re many people that have an undiagnosed sleep | | | | bed, but wake up often throughout the night. Sleep |
| disorder. They may feel very sleepy during the day. | | | | disorders may include sleep maintenance insomnia, |
| They may have trouble falling to sleep or staying | | | | shift work. If a person wakes up very early in the |
| asleep. Friends or relatives may tell them they look | | | | morning and cannot get back to sleep, it could be a |
| very tired. They may experience mood changes, | | | | sign of advanced sleep phase disorder or sleep |
| irritability or become overly emotional. Often they | | | | maintenance insomnia. |
| have difficulty paying attention, concentrating, or | | | | If the answer to the question is "I can't stay awake" |
| remembering things that are important. These are all | | | | and the person is falling asleep at inappropriate times |
| symptoms of sleep deprivation, and possibly of a | | | | there may be a sleep disorder such as narcolepsy , |
| sleep disorder. | | | | obstructive or central sleep apnea, periodic limb |
| A person that has an undiagnosed sleep disorder will | | | | movement disorder, restless leg syndrome, shift |
| usually answer the question, "What is the problem | | | | work or advanced sleep phase disorder. |
| with your sleep," with one of five answers. Those | | | | Those that say "I can't get up in the morning" and |
| answers will be; "I have trouble falling asleep," " I | | | | take an hour or more to fully wake from their sleep |
| have trouble staying awake," "I can't get up in the | | | | may suffer from excessive sleep inertia. They are |
| morning," "I seem to do strange things in my sleep" | | | | having difficulty making the transition from sleep to |
| or "I can't sleep because of my partner." The | | | | being awake. Sleep disorders that could be |
| particular answer chosen helps to narrow down the | | | | responsible for excessive sleep inertia are sleep |
| possibility of a specific type of sleep disorder. | | | | apnea and delayed sleep phase disorder. |
| When someone says "I can't fall asleep" it can mean | | | | A person that answers the question with "I do |
| several things. There could be a problem when first | | | | strange things in my sleep" may find that their sleep |
| going to bed, after waking up in the middle of the | | | | is full of surprises. Sleepwalking, Sleep terrors, |
| night, or in the early morning hours. Many people | | | | confusional arousals, REM sleep behavior disorder, |
| have the problem of not being able to fall asleep | | | | nightmares, sleep-related eating disorder and bruxism |
| when they go to bed. This is called sleep latency. | | | | are all types of sleep disorders known as |
| Sleep latency can be a very serious symptom of | | | | parasomnias. |
| certain sleep disorders, including sleep onset insomnia, | | | | If a person answers "I can't sleep because of my |
| delayed sleep phase disorder, shift work, restless leg | | | | partner" snoring, sleep apnea, bruxism, restless leg |
| syndrome or paradoxical insomnia. Many times the | | | | syndrome, or periodic limb movement disorder may |
| problem is not being able to stay asleep, which is | | | | be the sleep disorder to blame. |
| sleep fragmentation. Often a person with this | | | | How would you answer the question of "What is the |
| complaint can fall to sleep easily when they go to | | | | problem with your sleep? |