Personal Health

Warning signal for serious diseases: these are disorders of sleep you need to see a doctor

Your Partner has pointed out that you snap at night to air? Or such a vivid dream, that you call during deep sleep, beat, or sleepwalking? We say, what kind of sleeping are warning signs of disorders alarming early.

The quality of our sleep, says a lot about our health. So more than half of all sleep are precursors to disorders or accompanying symptoms of serious diseases.

Symptom: Hitting, Screaming, Kicking

Who moves in at night during the deep sleep phase so strong that he strikes wildly with arms and legs, occurs, in part, even his bed neighbours injured or out of bed, falls, suffers with, in all probability, a so-called REM sleep behavior disorder.

The so-called REM-Phase (Rapid Eye Movement) makes up about 20 percent of our sleep and occur several times per night. In this dream phase, our eyes move back and forth during the closed songs twitch. The Rest of the body remains motionless, because the arbitrary muscles is in a kind of paralysis state.

In the case of a sleep behavior disorder, the opposite is the case: It comes in this Phase to a violent motor reaction of the body, the patient unconsciously its most aggressive dreams with yelling, Hitting and acting out. This REM sleep behavior disorder was first discovered in 1986 by the American sleep researcher Carlos Schenck. Behind the symptoms of degenerative disease of the brain, a so-called synuclein homeopathy, when it comes to clumping of the protein Alpha-Synuclein that are deposited in the brain.

Diagnosis: a harbinger for dementia and Parkinson’s disease

According to information from the Association of REM sleep behavior disorder at the Philipps-University of Marburg have people who suffer from RBD (Rapid eye-movement sleep behaviour disorder), to develop a 80% risk within ten to 15 years of Parkinson’s disease. The disease is considered to be one of the most common neurodegenerative disease of the brain and leads to slowing down of the thinking power, the musculoskeletal system, a stiffening of the muscles and joints, as well as Shaking.

In addition, the sleep disorder is also considered as a harbinger of the so-called Lewy body dementia, a disease that resembles Alzheimer’s dementia, and with a strong spiritual power fluctuations, hallucinations, and parkinsonism-like symptoms such as stiffness and Tremors.

According to statistics, about 200,000 people develop REM sleep behavior disorder. 90 percent of those Affected are male and mostly over 60 years old.

Please contact a neurologist who specializes in sleep disorders. He can clarify on the basis of neurological Tests, whether they actually behave in a REM sleep suffer disorder. A stay in the sleep laboratory as well as an ultrasound of the brain allows you to recognize this. So far, no approved drugs exist for the treatment. Patients but often the valium-like drugs for a quieter sleep. Also, the active ingredient Pramipexole, and drugs for dementia treatment were previously used.

  • More Info on the subject can be Affected at the Association of REM sleep behavior disorder at the Philipps-University of Marburg under www.rem-schlafverhaltensstoerung.de

Symptom: Snoring, Breathing Interruptions

Snoring might be annoying, but mostly harmless, and affects a lot of people. Someone is snoring very loud and irregular, and snaps suddenly to the air, this could be a reference to a so-called sleep apnea. According to the German society for pneumology and respiratory medicine, two to three percent of the population suffer about including. This leads to a dangerous respiratory arrest during sleep.

Diagnosis: signs of sleep apnea

Physicians distinguish between Central and obstructive sleep apnea. In Central apnea, there is a faulty circuit in the brain, which leads to the respiratory muscles is not controlled properly. Often this disorder is genetic causes, but it can also be a result of a disease, or a stroke.

Far more serious and more frequent, the obstructive sleep apnea is. It is due in most cases to Obesity. This fat deposits narrowing of the cause in the throat, which can block about seconds, the respiration entirely. Also a deformity of the lower jaw, and enlarged tonsils can be responsible for that.

Increased risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke

Anyone who suffers from sleep apnea, an increased risk to develop, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Because during the Respiratory arrest, there is a lack of supply of oxygen and accumulation of carbon dioxide in the blood. The body comes in alert and releases adrenaline and noradrenaline, which leads to an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. In addition to a heart attack, and heart rhythm disorders apnea can also trigger a stroke. In particularly severe cases, it can also be fatal.

The disease predominantly affects men: about 20 percent of the 40 – to 60-Year-olds and up to 60 percent of the 65 – to 70-Year-olds suffer from it. Women are less often affected, usually after the Menopause.

Even if an apnea is not completely curable, there are a lot of things, what can patients do. A reduction in weight, the lateral position during sleep, avoid alcohol and sleep-inducing drugs help to minimize dropouts. In serious cases, sleep masks are used, so-called CPAP-masks (conitinuous positive airway pressure) the dropouts to prevent, by generating a positive Pressure on the respiratory tract. The ENT doctor will perform a respiratory diagnosis and refer patients as appropriate to the Monitoring in a sleep laboratory.

  • More information about sleep apnea under www.lungenaerzte-im-netz.de/schlafapnoe