Sleep Disorders

Objectives

To be able to identify types (classifications) of sleep disorder

To understand explanations for insomnia, narcolepsy and sleepwalking

Now drink some caffeine!!Wait 15mins and try again!!

What do you predict will happen?

Have a go at sleep dash!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/sleep/sheep/

Major Classifications of Sleep Disorders

Dyssomnias- a broad category including insomnia and hypersomnolence (too much sleep)

Parasomnias – strange behaviours during sleep

Sleep Disorders we will discuss

Insomnia (Primary and secondary)NarcolepsySleepwalking

Key question

If some problems with sleep are caused by other disorders, which disorder should we treat?

For example if depression causes insomnia - how do we know that insomnia is not the cause of the depression?

Answer – if we don’t know for sure we should treat both disorders as being comorbid.

Medical or psychiatric conditions that can produce sleep disorders

PsychosesAnxietyDepressionPanicAlcoholismSleeping sickness

OTHER CausesMight include shift work and jet travel

Check terms so far

• What are the three types of somnipathy (sleep disorders)?

• What is insomnia?

• What is narcolepsy?

• What is sleepwalking?

Traditionally, sleep disorders have been divided into primary and secondary disorders.

Primary Insomnia - result from an endogenous disturbance in the sleeping mechanism, often complicated by learned behaviours and bad sleep habits. Insomnia the only problem. Insomnia occurs with no cause for more than 1 month (DSM)

Secondary Insomnia - are said to be the result of another disorder –e.g. depression, pregnancy, respiratory problems or gastroesophageal reflux disease, shift work, too much caffeine or alcohol

INSOMNIA

BUTIn 2007 Dr Ancoli-Israel suggested that this is a

false distinction and that all sleep disorders should be regarded as comorbid, and receive the same

emphasis in treatment.

Ohayon and Roth 2003 – Studied 15,000 Europeans – found that insomnia preceded cases of mood disorders.

Therefore treat the insomnia whether it is primary or secondary

Risk Factors Influencing Insomnia

• Age and Gender – older people and women more likely – illnesses (arthritis, diabetes) and menopause (hormone fluctuations)

• Parasomnias - increase likelihood of insomnia -

-Sleep Apnoea

-Sleep walking

-Teeth grinding

• Personality – Kales et al 1976 – insomniacs more likely to internalise psychological disturbance than acting out problems or being aggressive

Research Complications

Synoptic point

• Chronic insomnia highly complex

• Lots of causes of insomnia – stress, depression, poor sleep hygiene, age, gender e.t.c

• Unlikely to be explained by one factor

• Therefore - Difficult to draw conclusions

Attribution TheorySynoptic Point (cognitive approach)One cause of Primary Insomnia is a person’s belief that

they are going to have difficulty sleeping.Self fulfilling – tense before sleepAttribute sleep problems to ‘insomnia’Treatment –Train them to be convinced the source of problem lies

elsewhereStorms and Nisbett 1970 – insomniacs given a pill –

half told it would stimulate them and the other half it would sedate them.

Those expecting arousal went to sleep faster because they attributed their arousal to the pill and actually relaxed!!

Narcolepsy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MBCeKn0Oeo narcolepsy 3 mins

• Cataplexy – loss of muscular control during the day

• Feeling sleepy all the time

Triggered by anger, fear, amusement or stress

1/2000 suffer, starts in adolescence

Sleep Walking

• Most common in children – 20% children, 3% adults

• Only occurs during NREM/SWS sleep

• Related to Night Terrors

• Sleep walker not conscious and later has no knowledge of events during sleep walking