Should I be tested for sleep problems?
You should consult with your health care professional if you think you are suffering from sleep problems. It is possible you could have a sleep disorder and not be aware of it. The only way to know for sure is to take a sleep test.
In order to maintain overall good health and well being our body needs to go through "phases" of sleep during the night. One phase is called "REM" sleep. REM is an acronym for "Rapid Eye Movement". This is named after the rapid eye movement that occurs during this phase.
The other phase is termed quiet sleep. This phase of sleep is characterized by four stages.
- During stage 1 your muscles begin to relax and temperature begins to decrease.
- During stage 2 your heart and breathing rate begins to decrease.
- During stage 3 your breathing and blood pressure decrease further. Your body begins to repair and regenerate during this stage.
- During stage 4 the deepest sleep occurs, with further decrease in breathing and blood pressure. A person will alternate between deep sleep and REM sleep several times during the sleep period.
It is important that these sleep phases occur undisturbed during your sleep period. If your sleep cycle is disrupted, your brain and your body fail to be completely rejuvenated. It is possible to sleep for 8 to 10 hours without waking, yet have these patterns disrupted several times. If this occurs over a period of days, weeks or months, you will become chronically fatigued. This state of chronic fatigue can cause a wide range of problems, some of which are described below.
Narcolepsy
Characterized by a sudden urge to sleep, or become drowsy during the day. Varies from extreme drowsiness to literally falling asleep for short periods of time.
In some cases this condition can occur with the eyes open, since the brain literally shuts down because it is in a chronic fatigue state. This condition is most hazardous while operating machinery, or driving an automobile.
Parasomnias:
There are several conditions that can be classified as Parasomnias, however a person with this condition would complete a task or function and not be conscious of doing so.