SLEEP DISORDERS Addressing sleep issues can aid diagnosis of health concerns STORY HIGHLIGHTS A good night’s sleep can be as essential to overall health and quality of life as diet and exercise. Chronic sleep deprivation is associated with mental and physical health issues, impairs one’s alertness and can result in memory and other cognitive problems. During an overnight sleep study, breathing abnormalities (shown in the green boxes) that contribute to sleep disruption and daytime sleepiness can be detected. In a fast-paced society in which many people are working longer hours, spending more time on their commutes and trying to fit more activities into their day, the recommended eight hours of sleep each night can seem like a luxury. But the director of the UCLA Sleep Disorders Center points out that regularly getting a good night’s sleep can be as essential to overall health and quality of life as diet and exercise. And he recommends that physicians ask their patients about sleep habits and refer them for evaluation and treatment if there are concerns. “In primary care settings, many patients don’t recognize that they may have a serious underlying sleep disorder at night, which might be the root cause of fatigue and sleepiness during the day,” says Alon Avidan, MD, MPH, director of the UCLA Sleep Disorders Center and a professor in the Department of Neurology. “But poor sleep has an enormous impact on health and should be discussed with their physician, even if physicians don’t ask their patients about how well they sleep.” Image: Courtesy of Dr. Alon Avidan Hypopnea (31.3s) Hypopnea (28.9s) Dr. Avidan notes that chronic sleep deprivation is associated with a myriad of mental and physical health issues. It increases the risk of depression and impairs one’s alertness and ability to drive and can result in memory and other cognitive problems. It also can predispose patients to diabetes and obesity. Obstructive sleep apnea, a common but frequently undiagnosed disorder that often is the source of daytime sleepiness, increases the risk of hypertension and stroke when left untreated. Older adults who have poor sleep also are even more prone to developing cognitive and memory difficulties, or to an acceleration of existing neurocognitive problems. Finally, Dr. Avidan says, untreated sleep disorders can exacerbate chronic pain, as well as depression, in a bidirectional manner. Poor pain control and depression may worsen sleep, and poor sleep worsens depression and pain. The UCLA Sleep Disorders Center provides consultations for patients with sleep disorders, who are treated in the clinics, as well as conducting overnight sleep studies in the UCLA Sleep Disorders Laboratory for patients who require additional diagnostic testing for conditions such as sleep apnea. A team that includes neurologists trained in sleep medicine as well as clinicians from pulmonary and internal medicine, pediatrics, family medicine, head and neck surgery, and dentistry deliver personalized treatment programs to manage a broad spectrum of sleep disorders in adults and children. Disorders may include obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia, restless leg syndrome, parasomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness, narcolepsy, circadian rhythm disorders such as jet lag syndrome and abnormal behaviors during the night. The UCLA Sleep Disorders Center also promotes research and community education, while working collaboratively with referring physicians to ensure exemplary care. An epidemic of sleep deprivation exists in the United States, Dr. Avidan notes. In part, this can be attributed to the cultural norm that sleep UCLAHEALTH.ORG 1-844-4UCLADR (1-844-482-5237)