Transcript Psychological sleep disorders

Psychological sleep disorders
Importance of REM
sleep
• REM – Rapid eye movement &
dreaming
• Prolonged periods of lack of
REM = feel disorientated,
memory problems & paranoia
• Support from studies of rats
where prolonged periods of
sleep deprivation led to death
• Therefore sleep disorders are
serious & potentially fatal!
• What do sleep
disorder clinics
investigate?
• Look at physiological
• E.g. snoring &
breathing problems
that affect sleep
• & psychological
• E.g. to do with mind &
brain & mental health
Types of sleep disorders
• Psychological sleep
disorders have their
symptoms listed in the DSM
• This manual helps
diagnosis of mental
illnesses
2 types of sleep disorders
• Primary – these are problems in their
own right rather than having any other
cause
• E.g. problems waking up, staying asleep
or getting to sleep
• Secondary – are a result of another
problem
• E.g. pain, jet lag, stress etc
4 categories of sleep disorders
• 1. Insomnia – where someone
cannot get to sleep or stay
asleep
• Most common sleep disorder
• Diagnosis is made when the
individual’s activities are
impaired as a result of lack of
sleep
• Insomnia gets worse with age
• Mental illness, stressful events
or certain prescribed drugs can
cause insomnia
• Insomnia can be
treated with drugs
rather than requiring
the help of a sleep
disorder clinic
• Sufferers could also be
taught relaxation or to
focus on positive
thoughts at bedtime
• These can be taught at
a sleep clinic BUT do
not have to be
• 2. Hypersomnia – is
where the individual is
sleepy all of the time
• Can be caused by a
brain disorder called
narcolepsy – sudden
attacks of sleep during
the day
• May also be a result of
poor sleep at night –
e.g. due to breathing
problems
• 3. Circadian rhythm
disorders – a circadian rhythm
is a body rhythm which occurs
once in a 24 hour period e.g.
sleep- wake cycle
• A normal sleep pattern would
be 5 cycles of the of the sleep
stages
• If the sleep-wake cycle is
affected then it disrupts our
body clock
• E.g. shift workers
• But this disorder can occur
when there is seemingly no
reason
• Use of bright lights at certain
times can help to reset the
body clock & thus the sleepwake cycle is restored
• 4. Parasomnias –
happen when the
person is asleep
• E.g. sleep-walking,
nightmares, sleep
terrors
• Children are more likely
to sleep walk than adults
• Also more likely if male
• Occurs during non-REM
sleep
• Sleep terrors also occur
during non-REM sleep
• The individual wakes
up because they are
agitated
• Also more common in
children than adults
• Parasomnias also
include bedwetting &
teeth grinding
• REM sleep behaviour
disorder is when the muscle
paralysis associated with
REM sleep does not happen
• These sleep disorders may
involve violent movements &
language which wouldn’t
normally be seen in REM
• These disorders can be
treated by drugs such as
Benzodiazepines (these
have a calming effect)
• Relaxation therapy is also
used
Consolidation task
• Collaborative task – work in groups of 4
• Each of you will take 1 of the types of sleep
disorders
• Individual task – you have 8 mins to learn your
type and decide how you are going to help
others in your group to remember it
• The more distinctive you make it – the more
easily they will remember it.
• Group task – each of you has 3 mins to explain
your sleep disorder to the rest of the group.
• Whole class – true or false quiz