A Sleep Unit is a multidisciplinary center that can detect, with various studies, pathologies and sleep disorders. Treatment must be approached from different specialties, depending on the diagnosis, to ensure that it is effective.
Sleep must be understood as a state parallel to wakefulness but different, affected by a wide variety of disorders, whether respiratory, neurological, cardiological, pediatric… and which must be addressed by different specialties, according to experts in Clinical Neurophysiology. Therefore, a Sleep Unit should be a multidisciplinary center that allows, through an adequate clinical and exploratory examination, by performing general and specific analytical tests and, finally, with the monitoring studies of different variables during sleep, to detect the numerous pathologies related to sleep.
In our sleep clinic we are mainly dedicated to the diagnosis of sleep-related pathologies using various monitoring techniques, among others, Polysomnography. This technique evaluates different physiological variables while the person sleeps. Thus, it analyzes the brain activity of sleep, breathing, heart rate, oxygen saturation, the position we adopt, snoring, movements of the legs or arms, among others. In addition, during the study we videotape, which is especially important when strange behaviors are reported during the night.
This type of study allows us to detect respiratory disorders, periodic leg movement syndrome during sleep or to evaluate abnormal behaviors.
However, we also perform daytime studies to quantify excess sleep, such as the Multiple Latency Test, or to assess the ability to stay awake, with the Maintenance of Wakefulness Test. Other types of studies are Nap Studies, to activate epileptic seizures and improve their diagnostic sensitivity, CPAP titrations (a machine that provides the patient with pressurized air in case of apnea) or Actigraphy (a method that allows, with a sensor in the non-dominant arm, to assess periods of rest and activity), among others.
Sleep disorders found in a Sleep Unit
Many people might think that a Sleep Unit is dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of difficulty sleeping or insomnia, but the reality is that the fundamental problems occur during sleep. If we leave insomnia aside, the main disorder we assess is sleep apnea, or difficulty breathing properly during the night. However, we should not underestimate other neurological disorders such as Periodic Leg Movements Syndrome (PPMS), Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), abnormal behaviors with nocturnal epilepsy, parasomnias, such as Sleepwalking, especially in children, or Narcolepsy, among others.
Symptoms that can indicate that we have some sleep disorder
They can be several, taking into account that there are different types of pathologies. It can be said that the fundamental problem is not feeling rested during the day. Depending on the severity of the problem, there may or may not be drowsiness, as well as headaches upon awakening. This will always indicate that there may be a sleep disorder that fragments it, whether respiratory or otherwise.
There is a problem that I would like to highlight, due to its relevance and lack of knowledge in many people, such as RLS (restless legs syndrome), which manifests itself with restlessness when trying to fall asleep and can cause chronic insomnia. This pathology can have a good response to specific pharmacological treatment.
However, many people are referred by their partner, who is the one who refers the excessive snoring or breathing pauses during sleep, as well as other abnormal behaviors despite not referring specific symptomatology or daytime fatigue.
Pathologies most commonly seen in a Sleep Unit
Snoring or breathing disorder may be the cause of most concern from a health point of view but it is very common for people to come for the simple fact of difficulty sleeping and where we can find a wide range of disorders.
Treatment of sleep disorders
Treatment should be approached from different specialties, depending on the problem detected. A disorder such as sleep apnea may involve specialties such as Otolaryngology to assess the possible surgical approach; also pulmonologists, orthodontists or nutritionists. Our unit is linked with other specialists to treat more specific problems.