Sleep Disorders

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Sleep Disorders

• Emily Vermilya
• March 18, 2008

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Insomnia

• No single definition that can apply to all people
  
• Individual sleep needs are variable
• Must be defined in relation to a persons
  particular sleep needs
• Unreliable self-reports.

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Types or Causes of Insomnia

• Sleeping Medication
• Drug Dependency Insomnia
• Sleep Apnea

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Narcolepsy

• Neurological disorder characterized by sleep (or
  some of its components) at inappropriate times.
• Produced by a brain abnormality that disrupts the
  neural mechanisms that control various aspects of
  sleep and arousal
• Genetic Disorder

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Symptoms of Narcolepsy

• Sleep Attack (Primary symptom)
• Cataplexy
• Sleep Paralysis
• Hypnagogic Hallucinations

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Treatment of Narcolepsy

• Can be treated successfully with drugs
• Stimulants
• Anti-depressants

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REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

• REM sleep is accompanied by paralysis
• If we werent paralyzed, we would act out our
  dreams
• The behavior of people who exhibit REM Sleep
  Disorder corresponds with the content of their
  dreams
• Example
• Appears to be a neurodegenerative disorder with a
  genetic element

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Symptoms of REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

• Total opposite of Narcolepsy
• Paralysis outside of sleep
• Fail to exhibit paralysis during REM sleep

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Treatment of REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

• Drugs that treat narcolepsy would cause the
  symptoms to occur in REM Sleep Behavior Disorder
• Usually treated with Benzodiazapines

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Problems Associated with Slow-Wave Sleep

• Particularly occur in deepest stage, Stage 4
• Bedwetting
• Sleep Walking
• Night Terrors

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References

• Carlson, Neil R. (2005). Foundations of
  Physiological psychology (6th Ed.). Boston
  Pearson Education, Inc.