- Somnologia - what does it do?
- When to see a somnologist? Symptoms that suggest sleep disorders
- What is the importance of sleep for he alth?
- Most common sleep disorders
- What is the treatment at the somnologist?
Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!
Somnology is a new field of medicine, often referred to as "sleep medicine," which addresses sleep disorders such as insomnia, sleep apnea and parasomnia. When to go to a somnologist and what is the treatment of sleep-related diseases?
Somnologiais a relatively new field of medicine that deals with sleep problems. Fast pace of life and excess work and duties often result in sleep deprivation. Research shows that we sleep less and worse, and that 45% of people in the world have sleep problems. Unfortunately, it is known that every second Pole suffers from periodic insomnia, and even 80% of people living in Poland struggle with it over the age of 65.
Among about 100 different sleep disorders, sleep-induced breathing disorders are also common. The most common is the so-called obstructive sleep apnea, the symptom of which is, among others snoring - it is diagnosed in nearly 4% of men and 2% of women.
It is worth remembering that sleep deficiency and its poor quality have a negative impact on he alth, as they increase the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, etc. So when to go to a somnologist, i.e. a doctor using sleep medicine for diagnosis and therapy of people suffering from sleep disorders?
Somnologia - what does it do?
Somnology is the science that deals with sleep disorders and their consequences. It also studies sleep in terms of he alth, well-being, performance and quality of life. Somnology is also often referred to interchangeably as "sleep medicine".
In practice, this is not entirely correct, because "sleep medicine" is a subset of somnology and is a clinical field in which specialists diagnose and treat patients suffering from sleep disorders. Somnology is a relatively new field of medicine, but it is extremely needed, as currently about 100 sleep disorders have been found and described, with which, according to statistics, more and more patients are struggling.
When to see a somnologist? Symptoms that suggest sleep disorders
Anyone who thinks that their sleep is abnormal should make an appointment with a somnologist. It should be emphasized that the consultation should take place, inter alia, when sleep:
- is notregenerating,
- does not take place at night,
- lasts less than 7 hours or longer than 9 hours,
- is interrupted,
- is difficult, which in practice means difficulty falling asleep,
- is not regular and the times of falling asleep and waking up are different,
- makes you sleepy, tired, distracted and irritable in the morning.
It should be emphasized that the above issues regarding sleep difficulties must be uncomfortable and repeated regularly. In addition, sleep disturbances must persist for a specific, longer period of time, e.g. for a month.
During the visit, it often happens that the specialist finds that the difficulties related to sleep are due to bad habits or inadequate sleep hygiene - in such a situation, the use of specific treatment, e.g. pharmacological, is not necessary, but it is enough to develop new habits .
Somnolog also helps in specific ailments classified as diseases, including heals, inter alia, insomnia, breathing disorders (e.g. obstructive sleep apnea), disturbances in the circadian rhythm of sleep and wake (e.g. in the blind), parasomnia, central hypersomnia, and sleep movement disorders.
What is the importance of sleep for he alth?
It should be emphasized that, next to a balanced diet and regular physical activity, a good night's sleep is one of the three pillars of he alth. 1/3 of the entire life is devoted to it, which is why it is an extremely important issue that affects the overall assessment of the quality of life. It is worth knowing that sleep in adults should take place at night, last from 7 to 9 hours (depending on individual needs), and be of adequate quality, which in practice means that it should not be interrupted by anything and should be deep enough.
Proper sleep is a way to stay he althy, feel good, look good, and function properly. If it is disturbed, it causes short-term and long-term negative mental and physical effects. You have to remember that sleep enables concentration, efficient remembering and more efficient work, and additionally has a positive effect on relationships with others.
In addition, the right amount of sleep has a positive effect on the body's immunity, which means that people who get enough sleep get sick less often. Additionally, restorative sleep reduces the risk of chronic diseases, including diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, depression, etc. It is also important that adequate sleep reduces the risk of premature death.
Research shows that lack of sleep also increases the risk of traffic accidents, mistakes, oftendangerous, at work and becoming addicted more often.
Most common sleep disorders
Sleep disorders are often the result of coexisting diseases and occur in people who have, for example, rheumatic pains, post-traumatic pains, migraines, infections, depression, etc. Sleep problems are often accidental and may be associated with fatigue, bad mood, stress and many similar factors, but then they are not referred to as disorders and do not require treatment, but only changes in sleep habits and rules.
One of the most common sleep disorders is insomnia, which occurs in 30-50% of adults. Even 21% of respondents struggle with its symptoms at least three times a week, and in some it even occurs every day. Unfortunately, nearly 15% of patients report that insomnia adversely affects their functioning and worsens the quality of life.
In addition to insomnia, somnology diagnoses and treats sleep disorders resulting from abnormal breathing. Among them, the most common is obstructive sleep apnea, which probably affects 35% of Poles, but is diagnosed only in 4% of men and 2% of women. Among the disorders that somnology deals with, there are also those related to the circadian rhythm.
They may be associated, for example, with extending the day, as in patients with delayed sleep phase syndrome, as well as in shift or blind workers. Less common sleep disorders are: parasomnias, central hypersomnia and sleep movement disorders.
What is the treatment at the somnologist?
It is worth emphasizing that most sleep disorders can be successfully treated. Regardless of the cause or possible suspicions as to the diagnosis, it is worth going to a somnologist consultation. There are specialist sleep clinics in many cities. There, too, doctors and specialists such as a psychiatrist, neurologist, otolaryngologist, psychologist, psychotherapist, etc. help in sleep disorders.
Currently, the American Board of Sleep Medicine in the United States administers medical examinations in the field of sleep disorders, so without their medical license, a doctor cannot practice as a sleep disorders specialist.
IMPORTANT!According to the World Association of Sleep Medicine (WASM), less than 1/3 of people with sleep disorders seek specialist help.
Treatment methods are tailored to specific disorders, therefore they are always individually selected to meet the patient's needs. Most often, however, psychotherapy is used during treatment, which helps to find the cause of sleep disorders, develop favorable habits and thus restorerestorative sleep in accordance with the rules of its hygiene.
Sometimes pharmacological treatments are also used to help eliminate insomnia and excessive sleepiness. Most often these are hypnotics, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, melatonia, etc. In the treatment of sleep disorders, invasive methods are also used, which allow, for example, to straighten the nasal septum and thus eliminate snoring. Sometimes, there are also treatments that protect the teeth, e.g. in the case of bruxism in patients, and specialist devices that allow for a good night's sleep are also put on.