21 - Insomnia Flashcards
Describe the stages of NREM sleep (non rapid eye movement)
4 stages of NREM: each stage progressing to REM sleep. Skeletal muscle tone and eye movements are low
Stae 1: transition stage between wakefulness and sleep (about 0.5-7 min)
Stage 2: considered a “light” sleep. Intermediate sleep. Largest percentage of total sleep time (50% of the time)
Stage 3 and 4: Deep sleep (restorative sleep) - largely affects sleep quality. Also referred to as “delta” sleep
Describe REM sleep (rapid eye movement)
- Increased brain activity, respiratory and heart rate, vivid dreams
- Active inhibition of voluntary muscles so that you cannot “act out” your dreams
How long does a complete sleep cycle last for?
1.5-2 hours
How many times is a sleep cycle repeated each night?
4-5 times per night
With each cycle, time in ______ and ____ sleep will typically increase.
stage 2 and REM
____ patients = decreased REM, delta, and total sleep time
Elderly
Define insomnia
Subjective complaint of difficulty falling asleep, maintaining sleep, or not feeling rested despite a sufficient time and opportunity for sleep
Insomnia is usually accompanied by?
Disturbances in daytime functioning: -attention, concentration and memory impairment -worries about sleep -irritability -mood disturbance -social dysfunction etc.
List the diagnostic criteria for insomnia
Unsatisfactory sleep quantity or quality with:
- difficulty falling asleep
- difficulty staying asleep
- waking up early and unable to fall back asleep
Results in dysfunction in social, occupational, educational, academic, behavioural or any other areas of life
Occurs > 3 nights/week and for > 3 months
Not related to another sleep-wake disorder
Not the result of a substance, mental disorder or medical condition
There are two potential explanations for insomnia:
Describe “Cognitive Model”
- Stress induces worry, resulting in difficulty falling asleep
- Over time, results in worry due to the lack of sleep and dysfunction that will occur
- *stress
There are two potential explanations for insomnia:
Describe “Hyperarousal as a result of physiological factors”
- Higher metabolic rate in patient’s with insomnia versus healthy individuals
- Higher levels of: urinary and plasma cortisol, and adrenocorticotropic hormone in patients with insomnia
- *hormones
What are the risk factors for insomnia?
- higher rates for females
- elderly
- those with comorbid psychiatric or medical illness
Does alcohol help insomnia?
No. Alcohol does not help with sleep. Alcohol disrupts the sleep cycle. It may decrease your sleep latency but will cause you to wake up 2-4 hours later probably. It will decrease your total sleep duration.
Episodic insomnia
1-2 months
Persistent insomnia
> 3 months
Recurrent insomnia
2 or more episodes in a year
Common Etiologies:
Describe “Independent condition”
Situational - stress, conflict, environment
Common Etiologies:
Describe “Comorbid with another mental disorder”
Psychiatric - depression, anxiety, dementia, etc.
Common Etiologies:
Describe “Comorbid with another medical condition”
- Medical - CVD (CHF), pain (osteoporosis, arthritis), respiratory (sleep apnea, COPD, AR), GI (GERD), neurological (MS, PD), BPH
- Hormonal - pregnancy, menopause
Common Etiologies:
Describe “Comorbid with another sleep disorder”
Breathing-related sleep disorder, circadian rhythm disorders, parasomnias (sleep walking)
List a few drugs that can cause insomnia
-Antidepressants
-Anti-epileptics
-B blockers
-Diuretics
-CNS stimulants
etc.
Differential diagnosis for Insomnia
- Situational/acute insomnia
- Circadian rhythm sleep/wake disorders
- Restless leg syndrome
- Breathing related sleep disorders
- Narcolepsy
- Parasomnias
- Substance/medication induced sleep disorder
Red flags/referrals for Insomnia
- Symptoms associated with shift work
- OTC ineffective after 3 evenings or required longer than consecutive > 7 days
- Comorbid sleep disorders associated with insomnia (restless leg, breathing related sleep disorder symptoms, narcolepsy, parasomnias)
- Drug induced
- Comorbid with mental or medical conditions
Goals of therapy
- Promote sound and satisfying sleep (quality, continuity and initiation)
- Prevent dependence on drug therapy
- Reinstate a normal sleep pattern without medication
Non-pharms for insomnia?
- sleep hygiene (only use bed for sleep, avoid TV/screens before bed, exercise early in the day, avoid napping, always use an alarm)
- stimulus control
- relaxation techniques
- cognitive-behavioral therapy
- sleep restriction
- paradoxical intention
What is sleep latency?
How long it takes you to go from full wakefulness to fully asleep
How do relaxation techniques help ?
decrease sleep latency and increase sleep maintenance
When is relaxation techniques most likely helpful?
where insomnia is a result of hyperarousal