Sleep disorders are treatable, doctors say

An estimated 50 million Americans — almost one-third of all adults — complain of poor sleep at some point. They may be tired and inefficient during the day, and lack of sleep can even contribute to car wrecks, industrial accidents, poor-quality schoolwork and relationship problems. At its worst, it's a significant health issue.

But most people don't know much about sleep, say Dr. Robert Farney, medical director of the LDS Hospital Sleep Disorders Center, and his colleague, sleep specialist Dr. Tom Cloward. The two will be featured on Saturday's Deseret Morning News/Intermountain Health Care Hotline. From 10 a.m. to noon, they'll take phoned-in questions about sleep and sleep disorders.

People who consistently can't sleep more than six hours, who always take more than a half hour to fall asleep, should see a sleep specialist, they say.

"You can treat sleep disorders," Farney says. "There's usually some combination that works."

For about 10 percent of the 30 percent who experience sleep disruption, the problem is persistent, chronic insomnia, he says.

"They have poor quality sleep or trouble getting asleep. More often the difficulty is staying asleep," he says.

While most people have a sleepless night occasionally, it's cause for concern when the problem affects waking hours and performance, adds Cloward.

Doctors who specialize in sleep disorders try first to identify the cause, including sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, stress, post-traumatic stress, hormonal issues and illness. Insomnia may have no discernible cause. But it's important to look for possible physical problems, which are common, as well as psychological factors.

They may recommend a sleep study, to see what's happening during the night. It may pinpoint a cause or even find an individual is actually sleeping better than he thinks he is.

Often, people combatting sleep problems have developed bad sleep habits that further contribute to poor sleep, and those must be tackled as well. Bad habits can create persistent problems, Farney says.