Sleep Medicine
If you often find yourself wide awake in the wee hours, you're not alone. Nearly two-thirds of American adults experience regular sleep disruptions. Get a better night's rest with help from the sleep medicine team at Virginia Hospital Center.
Signs You May Have a Sleep Problem
Talk to your doctor if you experience:
- Difficulty falling asleep
- Discomfort in your legs when lying down
- Headaches
- Interrupted sleep
- Snoring
- Unusual tiredness or difficulty staying awake during the day
- Urge to move your legs while lying down
Common Sleep Disorders
Find diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of sleep disorders, including:
- Insomnia – Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
- Restless leg syndrome (RLS) – Pins-and-needles sensation and an irresistible urge to move your legs while lying down
- Sleep apnea – Interrupted breathing during sleep
Why is Sleep Important?
Sleep needs vary, but the National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults get 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Good sleep is important for your overall health and well-being. When you don't get enough sleep, you increase your risk for:
- Anxiety and depression
- Diabetes
- Fatigue
- High blood pressure
- Heart attack
- Kidney failure
- Low libido
- Memory problems and other cognitive difficulties
- Premature aging of the skin
- Shortened lifespan
- Stroke
Diagnosing Sleep Disorders
Depending on your symptoms, your doctor may recommend a sleep study, or polysomnogram, at Virginia Hospital Center's Sleep Lab. During a sleep study, your care team monitors you while you sleep. They may record your:
- Airflow
- Blood oxygen levels
- Brainwaves
- Muscle activity
- Nerve impulses to the eye
- Heart rhythms
- Snoring patterns
Get a Better Night's Sleep
Work with your care team to create a plan for better sleep. Depending on your diagnosis, needs and preferences, your plan may include:
- Avoiding substances such as alcohol or tobacco
- Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy – Uses a mask connected to a machine to help you breathe more easily while you sleep
- Iron or magnesium supplements – Help improve sleep quality
- Medications – Help you fall asleep or stay asleep
- Muscle rubs – Ease leg pain or discomfort
- Sensory modulation – Uses aromatherapy, chamomile tea and self-calming strategies, such as deep breathing, to help you fall asleep naturally
- Weight loss – May improve or resolve symptoms of certain types of sleep apnea
