Sleep Medicine

Common Types of Sleeping Disorders

Sleep medicine encompasses a variety of sleep disorders, including sleep apnea, insomnia, snoring, and more. Because sleep disorders can involve several diseases, your sleep medicine team may include a cardiologist, otorhinolaryngologist, and even a dentist. We will evaluate your symptoms and take your family history to determine if you are at risk for particular sleep disorders and, if necessary, perform a sleep study to analyze your sleep.

Although snoring may seem harmless, it can be a sign of sleep apnea, a potentially serious medical condition. Sleep apnea may involve stopping breathing multiple times per hour during sleep, making oxygen levels drop.

Insomnia can consist of having trouble falling asleep, waking up early and being unable to fall back to sleep, or other factors that prevent you from getting enough sleep.

Parasomnias consist of abnormal sleep behaviors that happen during certain stages of sleep. The abnormal sleep behaviors may include:

• Sleep Terrors
• Sleep Walking
• Rapid Eye Movement
• Sleep Eating
• And More

Sleep paralysis can be frightening. It involves either drifting off to sleep or waking up and not being able to move. Instances of sleep paralysis usually only last for a few minutes.

Restless Legs Syndrome consists of sensations felt in the legs that make you think you need to move them, including:

• Aches
• Tingling
• Burning
• Crawling Sensation on the Legs

Symptoms of Restless Legs Syndrome usually occur during sleep, when you are resting or trying to fall asleep.

Periodic limb movements of sleep (PLMS) is a sleep disorder that involves repetitive jerking movements of the legs or arms that occur while you are asleep.

Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder that involves being excessively sleepy during the daytime. Narcolepsy can be dangerous in certain situations, such as working on a job or driving a car.

Contact Us for Better Sleep

If you are experiencing a sleep disorder and need treatment or would like to have a sleep study conducted to get a diagnosis, contact Carolina Cardiology Associates. Our team has built a reputation for providing effective sleep medicine and treatments for sleep disorders. We are here to help you get a better night’s rest.