2023-08-17 17:50:29
The Parque Llevant Hospital Sleep Unit treats pathologies such as sleep apnea, insomnia, restless legs syndrome and circadian rhythm disorders
What we define as “bad sleep”, such as suffering from insomnia, or having difficulty falling asleep, may be related to our intense pace of life, which frequently prevents us from resting at night as recommended. However, on certain occasions, behind these symptoms there is a disorder that can and should be treated. The specialist in Family and Community Medicine and Master in Sleep Medicine, Prof. Dr. Carlos Rivas Echeverría, head of the Sleep Unit at Hospital Parque Llevant in Porto Cristo, explains why.
Q.- The word insomnia is frequently used to define when we have had a bad night’s sleep. When does it become a disorder?
A.- Insomnia can be the cause of not passing an exam, not being selected in a job interview and even suffering a traffic or work accident; even if we talk regarding just one night or a few days. With this I emphasize that there is not necessarily a defined pattern. When the problem is persistent and lasts more than 3 months, it is convenient to ask for help.
Q.- How do you distinguish between simply having a feeling of sleep, and suffering a sleep pathology? When should we go to the specialist?
A.- Distinguishing between simply “being sleepy” -understood as drowsiness- and a sleep pathology can be a challenge, since some symptoms can overlap. However, if you experience chronic problems falling asleep, staying asleep, or have excessive daytime sleepiness that negatively affects your quality of life, it is advisable to see a sleep medicine specialist, as it might be chronic insomnia. In addition, if loud, gasping snoring, pauses in breathing, abrupt awakenings with a feeling of suffocation or shortness of breath occur during sleep, it is important to seek medical evaluation, as these may be indicative of a serious disorder such as sleep apnea. dream. But if you have or have had overweight, hypertension, arrhythmias, heart attack, angina, diabetes, stroke, eye diseases, gastroesophageal reflux, traffic or work accidents with at least one of the aforementioned symptoms; it is necessary to go to a specialist, particularly if sleeping pills, anxiolytics or antidepressants are taken.
Q.- It is evident that there are many indicators to know that there is a real problem. What are the most common sleep disorders?
A.- Sleep disorders cover a wide range of conditions, but some of the most common are sleep apnea -the most serious-, insomnia -most frequent-, restless legs syndrome and circadian rhythm disorders. The first thing to do is accurately diagnose the sleep disorder(s), because several can coexist at the same time, the pathologies that cause them, and their complications.
Q.- How can these disorders be treated?
A.- Each disorder has a specific treatment. It is important to individualize the appropriate treatment with the associated pathologies and with the lifestyle, expectations, needs and budget of the patient. It is not “one size fits all”, which unfortunately happens very often. That is, the vast majority of those who “suffer from sleep” are treated with sleeping pills, anxiolytics or antidepressants; which are dangerously contraindicated for most of these disorders.
Q.- What approach is applied to your treatment in the Sleep Unit of Hospital Parque Llevant?
A.- The main objective is to identify that a disorder really exists; a study of sleep architecture is probably needed. We identify the causes, for example, pain or respiratory problems, and in that case we treat them. If a cause is not evident and it is verified that there is a primary chronic insomnia -without identifiable cause- it is treated appropriately. It is not usually necessary a pharmacological treatment, that is, with medicines.
Q.- Can you advise us some good habits to sleep well?
A.- Establish regular hours to go to bed, only use the bed and the room to sleep -that is, not to watch television, listen to music, work, use the mobile phone or solve problems-. Before going to bed, we must avoid stimulants such as coffee, excess food, alcohol or intense exercise. It is also highly recommended to expose yourself to the sun, the melatonin factory. And above all, don’t get hung up on the subject, don’t look at the time, and don’t take medication for insomnia, even if prescribed, because it’s surely not the solution, as many readers of this article probably already know.
Q.- You have just taken over the Sleep Unit at the Parque Llevant Hospital. What motivated your decision for the Porto Cristo hospital?
A.- The Parque Llevant Hospital is the dean of private health in the Mallorcan Levante. It has excellent infrastructure and state-of-the-art medical equipment, which allows it to provide quality care and accurate diagnosis to patients. In addition, the location in Porto Cristo, Mallorca, is strategic and accessible for the residents of the area, and for the millions of tourists who visit the Balearic Islands.
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