Sleep can be divided into two types: (REM) sleep and non-REM (NREM) sleep. NREM sleep has three stages of increasingly deep sleep. Stage 1 sleep is the lightest stage and stage 4 3 is the deepest. During normal sleep, you cycle through these types and stages of sleep. However, if your sleep is repeatedly interrupted and you cannot cycle normally through REM and NREM sleep, you may feel tired, fatigued, and have trouble concentrating and paying attention while awake. Sleepiness puts you at greater risk for car accidents related to driving while drowsy.
Symptoms of sleep disorders include:
- Excessive snoring
- Morning headaches
- Feeling unrefreshed upon awakening
- Daytime sleepiness
- Waking up gasping for breath
- Body movements during sleep
- Weight gain
- Frequent urination at night
- Frequent awakenings during sleep
- Night sweats
- Moodiness
- Impaired memory
Treatment for sleep disorders
In many cases an overnight evaluation is needed to learn what is causing the sleep/wake disturbance. Your brain waves, heart rate, snoring, respiration, leg muscle activity and oxygen saturation levels are monitored.
The recording techniques are noninvasive and all electrodes are applied on the skin surface of the areas recorded. The entire recording procedure is painless.
After the electrodes have been applied, you will spend the night in a comfortable bed in the UT Health East Texas Sleep Disorders Center and sleep will be monitored throughout the night.
When the sleep/wake disorder affects your daytime functioning, evaluation of daytime sleepiness may be necessary. You will remain at the center during the day and be given the opportunity to fall asleep at two-hour intervals for a series of four naps. Lunch will be provided.
Once a sleep study is completed, your physician will be able to discuss treatment recommendations so you can have a peaceful night’s sleep.
If you are suffering from a sleep disorder, ask to be referred to UT Health East Texas by your physician or call 903-531-8079 to begin the referral process.
