How Do I Know if I Have a Sleep Disorder?

There are a number of clues to look for, but different sleep disorders have different symptoms. Being excessively sleepy during the day is a pretty good indication that your sleep was poor or not of good quality. Most sleep disorders can result in being tired during the day – obstructive sleep apnea is one of the more common if you haven't noticed any other symptoms.

If you lie awake at night or frequently wake up you could have insomnia, or another sleep disorder causing insomnia-like symptoms. If you don't feel tired until the early hours of the morning but want to sleep until noon you may have a circadian rhythm disorder called delayed sleep phase syndrome.

Heavy snoring and frequent pauses in breath could be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea. Pauses in breath without snoring or attempts to breathe could be a sign of central sleep apnea. Feeling excessively tired during the day to the point where you fall asleep anywhere at inappropriate times could be a sign of narcolepsy. Muscle weakness in parts or all of your body while you remain conscious could also be linked to narcolepsy.

Sudden jerking of legs or arms could be periodic limb movement disorder. An itching, burning, or otherwise uncomfortable feeling in your legs requiring you to move them could be restless legs syndrome.

Your symptoms don't have to be exactly similar to any of the above – if you feel that your sleep is poor, do something about it.

When Should You Seek Help?

Occasionally we all get a bad nights sleep – stress, too much caffeine, alcohol, or for no obvious reason. However if you regularly get poor sleep – even once a week or less then it's time to talk to your doctor. If your problem is even less frequent, but you get so little sleep that it's debilitating then it's also time to pick up that phone.

Don't ignore your partner's sleep problems. Convince them to seek help – at the very least, solving their problem may help you get better sleep, at the best you may be helping save their life – that's how serious sleep disorders can be. Similarly for parents, some sleep disorders are common in children, almost expected. However, that shouldn't stop you seeking help.

Who Should I Call?

We highly recommend you speak with your primary care doctor first. They are likely able to answer your preliminary questions and may have a preferred sleep specialist with whom they work. Depending on your insurance coverage, you may be able to contact a sleep specialist directly. If you are near any Sleep HealthCenters (www.sleephealth.com) location, we are happy to answer any questions you may have.