Hospitals and clinics that treat mental health disorders may also be equipped and have programs to treat patients who are suffering from sleep disorders. Sleep disorders may be caused by medical conditions as well as certain psychological conditions, and sleep disorders can manifest as both medical and psychological symptoms as well. Those who are unable to fall asleep or who are unable to breathe properly while sleeping may end up feeling exhausted and irritable during the day, and they can be at risk for cardiovascular problems and diabetes.
A Sleep Disorder Clinic Phoenix Az may have a sleep lab in which patients are monitored while they sleep so that technicians can chart their respiration and heart rate. Some patients may have sleep apnea, a condition in which they may actually wake up hundreds of times during the night, but only for a fraction of a second before going back to sleep. This is caused when they have trouble breathing. They may have a nasal obstruction that causes them to snore and gasp for breath while sleeping. It may be that the patient needs surgery to correct a deviated septum or other obstruction.
With back sleepers, the tongue or tissues at the back of the throat may slide backwards and block the patient’s windpipe while they’re sleeping. Patients who are overweight may have a significant amount of body fat around the face, neck, and upper chest. This added weight can contribute to their nightly breathing problems just from the extra weight compressing against them. These patients may need a breathing apparatus called a C-PAP machine to help them get oxygen during the night. Others may need a mouth appliance that prevents the tongue from sliding backward and blocking their airway. They may also benefit from nutritional counseling and a weight loss program.
Other patients suffer from mental and emotional stress, and they may have high levels of anxiety that prevent them from being able to fall asleep at night. These patients may need an anti-anxiety medication as well as counseling that can teach them how to manage their stress. They may need to learn an appropriate outlet for their stress and learn how to express their feelings so that their emotional turmoil doesn’t bottle up inside and manifest itself as insomnia.
