Syndromes

Various Forms of Insomnia

Insomnia could be the onset of UARS. Both insomnia and sleep-breathing problems get worse as we age.

Sleep Onset Insomnia

Sleep onset insomnia is defined as difficulty initiating sleep.

Sleep Maintenance Insomnia

An individual with sleep maintenance insomnia can fall asleep initially but tends to wake up after 1-2 hours and are unable to fall back asleep easily. They may also wake up every one to two hours, coincidentally following the cycles of the stages of sleep.

Time from sleep onset to the first REM state is about 90-120 minutes. The longest period of REM happens last. These patients can tend to wake up between the hours of 4-6am (when the last cycle of REM should be occurring).

*Depression may be linked to insomnia

Weight Gain

Decreased quality of sleep is linked to obesity

Leptin and ghrelin are among the various hormones that are regulated in sleep. Under normal conditions, leptin hormone tells the body when it's full therefore regulating the appetite. Ghrelin hormone tells the brain when you need to eat. Ghrelin levels decrease during sleep. As a result of sleep deprivation, leptin decreases while ghrelin levels stay high. In addition, the stress hormone, cortisol increases. When cortisol increases, it can contribute to insulin resistance. The result is weight gain and insulin resistance can lead to type 2 diabetes.