Neurologists tend to provide treatment for sleeping disorders when the cause is thought to be neurological. Central sleep apnea, narcolepsy, insomnia, and restless legs syndrome can all be related to neurological issues and are best treated by a neurologist.
If a neurological condition is suspected to be the cause or contribute to a sleep disorder, a neurologist with specific expertise in sleep medicine will provide care.
Insomnia is one of the most frequent sleep complaints in neurodegenerative movement disorders. Patients may benefit from CBTi, antidepressants (trazodone, doxepin), melatonin and gaba-agonists.
Mayo Clinic's Department of Neurology is developing diagnostic and clinical expertise in the field of sleep medicine, which focuses on the diagnosis and management of sleep disordered breathing, narcolepsy and hypersomnias, restless legs syndrome, parasomnias, and insomnia for pediatric and adult patients.
A sleep medicine specialist is the best person to diagnose and treat your insomnia. Sleep medicine specialists include psychiatrists, neurologists, and other doctors with extra training to treat sleep problems.
Treating insomnia typically involves sleep-inducing medication, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-i), or a combination of both of these measures. Positive lifestyle changes may alleviate symptoms for some people, as well.
Is insomnia a mental health condition? According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, it is rare for insomnia to be an isolated medical or mental health condition. Insomnia is usually a symptom of another condition or a result of lifestyle or environmental factors, such as a work schedule or stress.
Neuropathy can affect sleep in several ways. For some people, neuropathy symptoms, such as abnormal sensations or hypersensitivity to touch, particularly in the feet and legs, may make it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep.
Insomnia may occur due to some neurobiological changes in the sleep-wake regulation mechanisms outlined below: Misalignment of the circadian process leading to phase delays or advances (prolonged sleep-onset latency). Delayed or advanced melatonin secretion. Dysfunction of the homeostatic process.
How does daridorexant work to treat insomnia? ORAs are the newest class of insomnia medications. Your brain makes a “wake-up protein” called orexin every day. Orexin attaches to certain nerve cells when it's time to wake up.
In some cases, your doctor may prescribe medicine to help you fall asleep and stay asleep. Prescription sleeping pills may help you sleep better. Common ones include eszopiclone (brand name: Lunesta), zolpidem (brand name: Ambien), and zaleplon (brand name: Sonata).
It's not always clear what triggers insomnia, but it's often associated with: stress and anxiety. a poor sleeping environment – such as an uncomfortable bed, or a bedroom that's too light, noisy, hot or cold. lifestyle factors – such as jet lag, shift work, or drinking alcohol or caffeine before going to bed.
MRI imaging can offer insights into insomnia brain connectivity abnormalities and how they correlate with cognitive impairments.
Neurologists specialize in treating and diagnosing disorders that affect the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nervous system, including headaches, sleep disorders, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, neuropathic pain, dementia, Parkinson's disease and stroke.
Among the most common are epilepsy, Alzheimer's, and stroke.
Neurological disorders are central and peripheral nervous system diseases, that is, they occur in the brain, spine, and multiple nerves that connect both.
Chronic insomnia can also be a problem for your heart. In one study, just one night of very little sleep led to higher blood pressure in healthy adult men. If that happens often over time, high blood pressure could damage your arteries. And it could make your heart work too hard to pump blood to your body.
Although it might appear that insomnia only affects the nervous system, it is also a systemic disease that affects several aspects of the body, such as the cardiovascular, endocrine, and immune systems; therefore, it increases the risk of various diseases such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and infection.
Not getting enough high-quality sleep can increase your risk of depression, weight gain and obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and memory and concentration problems. It can even make you look older.
Anxiety, stress, and depression are some of the most common causes of chronic insomnia. Having difficulty sleeping can also make anxiety, stress, and depression symptoms worse. Other common emotional and psychological causes include anger, worry, grief, bipolar disorder, and trauma.
Depression and insomnia
We recognize insomnia as a risk factor for both depression and major depressive disorder. In fact, people with insomnia are twice as likely to develop depression as people who don't have sleep disorders.
Approximately 50% of insomnia cases are related to depression, anxiety or psychological stress. Often the qualities of a person's insomnia and their other symptoms can be helpful in determining the role of mental illness in a person's inability to sleep.
Chronic Insomnia
Insomnia is considered chronic if a person has trouble falling asleep or staying asleep at least three nights per week for three months or longer. Some people with chronic insomnia have a long history of difficulty sleeping.