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Sleep Disorders
According to the National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research, at least 40 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep disorders and another 20 to 30 million experience occasional sleep problems. According to different studies, 7 to 49% of the general population in Germany suffer from intermittent or long-term sleep disorders. Many people suffering from chronic sleep problems experience negative consequences in their jobs, their relationships and their health. Therefore, chronic sleep disturbances do have a negative impact on quality of life and performance, followed by relevant economic and social consequences.
Classification of sleep disorders
The International Classification of Sleep Disorders (ICSD) comprises more than 60 sleep disorders subdivided into 6 groups:
1) Insomnia
2) Sleep Related Breathing Disorders
3) Central Disorders of Hypersomnolence
3) Circadian Rhythm Sleep-Wake Disorders
4) Parasomnias
5) Sleep Related Movement Disorders
6) Other Sleep Disorders
Patients with sleep disorders mainly complain of impaired sleep quality and/or of feeling sleepy and fatigued during the day. However, some may have subjectively intact sleep but get feedback of unusual behavious during sleep by friends or family. With psychiatric-neurologic background our main focus is on all sleep disorders other than sleep related breathing disorders.
Diagnosing Sleep Disorders
The diagnostic process follows the DGSM-recommendations published in the journal Somnologie 2009 13:4-160 ("DGSM-Leitlinie S3").
In the first outpatient appointment, the doctor will ask you relevant questions concerning your sleep habits, your sleep problems and your medical history. Depending on these symptoms, further diagnostic tests (e.g. polygraphy as a screening for sleep apnea) will be conducted in an outpatient setting, or an inpatient diagnostic investigation (including polysomnography) will be conducted in our sleep laboratory.