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Family Medicine (Expert Forum)
too many dreams
Questions in the Family Medicine forum are answered by Dr. J.M. Keyes. Topics covered include general health issues, adolescence, babies, child health, eating disorders, fitness, immunizations and vaccines, infectious diseases, medical tests and procedures, and senior health.
too many dreams
by staha, Jan 05, 2002 12:00AM
64 years old, generally have a good health, can't sleep because of too many dreams, i wake up every 20-30 minutes, need to know if i am sick, what is the name of the case, is there any medical centers in europe specialized in this case.
Doctor's Answer
by Forum-M.D.-DT, Jan 06, 2002 12:00AM
Thank you for visiting the family practice forum.
The normal 60 year old person spends about 20-25% of their sleep in REM sleep. This is the "stage" of sleep where most dreaming occurs. Sleep progresses from stage 1 (the lightest level, during which the sleeper can be awakened easily) to stage 4 (the deepest level, during which waking the sleeper is difficult). In stage 4, the muscles are relaxed, the blood pressure is at its lowest, and the heart and breathing rates are at their slowest. Besides these four stages, there is a form of sleep accompanied by rapid eye movements (REM) and behavioral activity. During REM sleep, electrical activity in the brain is unusually high, somewhat resembling that of wakefulness. The eye movement and brain wave changes that accompany REM sleep can be recorded electrically on an electroencephalogram (EEG).
You need to first check to make sure you are on no medication which could cause increased REM sleep. Also, people who drink too much caffeine may have difficulty getting into the "deeper" stages of sleep.
What to do...
1. Review your medications with your doctor to make sure you are not taking any medications which could disturb your sleep.
2. Avoid caffeine entirely
3. Consider having a "sleep study" done. Here, your sleep will be observed and the examiner will be able to monitor how long you stay in each "stage" of sleep.
You certainly appear to have a sleep disturbance problem. There are medications to treat this problem. In my experience it does not usually indicate any "serious" underlying medical disorder. The good news is there are medications which can be used to help improve the sleep of individuals with sleep disorders.
Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.
Dean M. Tomasello, M.D.
The normal 60 year old person spends about 20-25% of their sleep in REM sleep. This is the "stage" of sleep where most dreaming occurs. Sleep progresses from stage 1 (the lightest level, during which the sleeper can be awakened easily) to stage 4 (the deepest level, during which waking the sleeper is difficult). In stage 4, the muscles are relaxed, the blood pressure is at its lowest, and the heart and breathing rates are at their slowest. Besides these four stages, there is a form of sleep accompanied by rapid eye movements (REM) and behavioral activity. During REM sleep, electrical activity in the brain is unusually high, somewhat resembling that of wakefulness. The eye movement and brain wave changes that accompany REM sleep can be recorded electrically on an electroencephalogram (EEG).
You need to first check to make sure you are on no medication which could cause increased REM sleep. Also, people who drink too much caffeine may have difficulty getting into the "deeper" stages of sleep.
What to do...
1. Review your medications with your doctor to make sure you are not taking any medications which could disturb your sleep.
2. Avoid caffeine entirely
3. Consider having a "sleep study" done. Here, your sleep will be observed and the examiner will be able to monitor how long you stay in each "stage" of sleep.
You certainly appear to have a sleep disturbance problem. There are medications to treat this problem. In my experience it does not usually indicate any "serious" underlying medical disorder. The good news is there are medications which can be used to help improve the sleep of individuals with sleep disorders.
Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.
Dean M. Tomasello, M.D.
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Sara Hoke
Kentucky
Thanks again in advance?
Sara Hoke
Thanks again in advance?
Sara Hoke