Types of Sleep Deprivation

Sleep deprivation has three categories. These are based on a person’s specific circumstances.

·  Acute Sleep Deprivation happens over a short time period. Usually, it only lasts a few days at the most. For three or four days, sleep is significantly reduced.

·  Chronic Sleep Deprivation is also known as “insufficient sleep syndrome.” The American Academy of Sleep Medicine defines this type of sleep deprivation as a lack of sleep that continues for three or more months or longer.

·  Chronic Sleep Deficiency or insufficient sleep is ongoing sleep deprivation. This can be a total lack of sleep or poor sleep that occurs from disruptions or sleep fragmentation.

Do You Have Symptoms of Sleep Deprivation?

The main signs of sleep deprivation are being extremely sleepy during daytime hours, inability to concentrate, mood changes, and slower thinking. If you experience excessive sleepiness during the day you may have difficulty staying away. Sometimes, you may experience microsleeps where you doze off if you are still for just a few seconds. When you don’t get an adequate amount of sleep, it negatively affects you during the day.  Some of the symptoms you may not be getting good quality or sufficient amounts of sleep include:

·  Snoring during sleep

·  Gasping during sleep, or waking up struggling to breathe

·  Stop breathing during sleep

·  Slowed responses during the day when you are awake

·  Poorer than normal memory capabilities

·  Risky or poor decision-making

·  Reduced ability to pay attention

·  Fatigue and lack of energy even after a full night’s sleep

·  Extreme mood changes

Your specific symptoms may depend on how serious your sleep deprivation is and whether it is chronic or acute. Genetics may play a role in the severity of symptoms. Using stimulants like caffeine may mask some of the symptoms.

What Types of Health-Related Problems are Tied to Sleep Deprivation?

The effects of sleep deprivation as well as sleep deficiency can be far-reaching and serious. Even acute sleep deprivation increases the risk of accidents and unintentional errors. Drowsy driving, slow reaction times, and microsleeps can become life-threatening problems. When you are deprived of adequate sleep you may struggle more to perform at work or school, and you may have mood changes that affect your personal relationships.

Chronic sleep deprivation can be a contributor to many different health problems since sleep plays a crucial role in keeping all the body systems running properly. Some of the risks include:

·  Cardiovascular Disease – Sleep deficiency can increase your risk of cardiovascular problems like coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, or heart attack.

·  Obesity – Researchers have discovered that when people don’t get enough sleep they tend to consume more calories and carbs which can lead to obesity. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) alters glucose metabolism, promotes insulin resistance, and is associated with the development of type 2 diabetes.

·  Diabetes –  Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) alters glucose metabolism, promotes insulin resistance, and is associated with development of type 2 diabetes.

·  Mental Health Issues – Sleep and mental health are closely related. Inadequate sleep is associated with conditions like bipolar disorder, anxiety, and depression.

·  Hormonal Abnormalities – Sleep aids the body in producing and regulating different hormone levels. Sleep deprivation potentially increases the susceptibility to hormonal problems.

When to Call Dr. Bogrow

If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea by a sleep physician and would like to pursue an alternative to CPAP, such as oral appliance therapy, or a dental mouthpiece, to treat your sleep deprivation caused by sleep apnea, or if you have any of the above-mentioned symptoms, take our online Sleep Assessment and receive your results from Dr. Bogrow of Earl K. Bogrow and Associates, your Michigan Sleep Apnea Center. Dr. Bogrow is one of the leading dentists who treat sleep apnea and is Board Certified in Michigan to treat sleep apnea. He practices in the Detroit metropolitan area. He will be able to evaluate your situation and determine if you are suffering from sleep deprivation and make the appropriate recommendations. If you are, Dr. Bogrow can provide you with a dental solution to a medical problem, covered by insurance, to ensure you get better and longer sleep.

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Symptoms of Sleep Apnea and ADHD

Some of the most common symptoms of ADHD include:

· Forgetfulness

· Impulsivity

·  Inability to focus

·  Irritability

·  Easily distracted

·  Disorganization

The thing is, these symptoms are very similar to those caused by sleep apnea including the lack of focus, irritability, and feeling like you have no energy. Since these symptoms overlap, misdiagnoses are common. Dr. Bogrow recommends a sleep study if you or a loved one experience a few ADHD symptoms.

Sometimes patients suffer from both ADHD and sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can aggravate the symptoms of ADHD. When you suffer from ADHD, a lack of sleep can cause more anxiety in particular. Children and adults who don’t get good sleep will react differently. A child who doesn’t get adequate sleep will become hyper in most cases. Adults, however, become fatigued.

Why a sleep study?

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the muscles at the back of the throat collapse and block the airway. When you stop breathing, sleep is disrupted. Every time an apnea occurs, you stop breathing, and your body sacrifices energy. Even if you sleep eight hours each night, if you are having apnea episodes during the night you can feel tired and find it difficult to concentrate throughout the day. If you or your loved one suffers from sleep apnea, ADHD medications will not help alleviate symptoms effectively. A Michigan Sleep Apnea Center sleep specialist can test for and diagnose sleep apnea. Once you receive the proper diagnosis and treatment, symptoms should lessen.

What happens if Dr. Bogrow finds I am suffering from sleep apnea?

If Dr. Bogrow diagnoses you with obstructive sleep apnea, he will prescribe appropriate sleep apnea treatment. You may benefit from using a CPAP device that provides continuous pressure in the airway to keep it open while you sleep. This will keep your breathing from stopping while you are sleeping. Or, you may be prescribed an oral appliance that fits in your mouth similar to a mouthguard. It will reposition your lower jaw forward so your airway remains open during sleep.

You can start by taking this free sleep apnea assessment on the Michigan Sleep Apnea Center website. The results let Dr. Bogrow know if you will benefit from a sleep test to determine if you have sleep apnea or another sleep disorder. Once you are tested and have a diagnosis, then Dr. Bogrow will make a treatment plan. If you need an oral appliance, a custom-made device will be made for you. Then you can begin benefiting from getting a good night’s sleep!

Contact Michigan Sleep Apnea Center

If you or your loved one is experiencing any of the common symptoms of ADHD and/or sleep apnea, please contact us with your questions. We will be happy to schedule you for an exam with Dr. Bogrow and help you get on the road to better sleep.

The post Learn More About the Link Between Sleep Apnea and ADHD appeared first on Bogrow & Sherbel.