Very Little Deep Sleep

[CharleneR]

I have a sleep study done and found out that I have no sleep breathing issues or no significant limb movements while I slept. The total time in bed for the study was 380 minutes with a total sleep time of 316.5 minutes. I noticed that my stage 3 sleep was at 0.9% and stage 4 sleep was 0%, while stage 1 was 9.5% and stage 2 was 73.6% and stage 5 was 16%.  The reason for the study was that I never really feel rested when I wake up and therefore feel fatigued throughout the day and now I am wondering if it is because I am not getting into a deep sleep.  I told the doctor that the least little thing woke me up most of the time.  The study also showed that I had 21 episodes of arousals and 19 awakenings.  My sleep efficiency was rated at 83.3%.  Does anyone know what I can do to help me get more deep sleep?  The doctor just suggested I go to bed earlier or take a pill for depression.  

[Dr_Smita_S]

Hi.

It is good that you have consulted a sleep specialist and got a sleep study done. This has helped rule out any associated causes like sleep related breathing disorder (sleep apnea).

The sleep specialist may need to talk to your doctor who referred you for the test to further discuss the test results. Your doctor may advise you some Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) which might improve your sleep.

The different approaches used are stimulus control, sleep restriction, relaxation therapy, psychotherapy and maintaining sleep hygiene.

You are taught not to read, watch TV, or do anything else in bed. You are also taught to go to bed only when you feel very sleepy.

Sleep restriction limits time you spend in bed each night. Initial the limit is set such so as to provide you the amount of sleep you normally get each night. This means that you getting less than the normal hours of sleep initially. But then later on you will fall asleep faster with lesser number of arousals or awakenings in between. This method helps you have a deep and more stable sleep.

Other strategies utilize techniques to reduce any anxiety or tension so that you overcome any negative thoughts.

Regards

[KatEyes]

"go to bed earlier or take a pill for depression"

If that's the best they've got, get your files and go get help from a neurologist with a sleep specialty. Any sleep doctor that can't do more than order cpaps or Requip is not what you need. Sorry to hear you ended up with someone who wasn't committed to helping you through a difficult process.

[CharleneR]

I will probably seek out a neurologist.  The doctor who saw me just saw me at the last minute in place of the regular doctor who sent me to do the sleep study.  She just looked at the results right before she saw me and I think I asked her to many questions.  I was trying to find out more about the thyroid tests I had done and if there was a more detailed thyroid test and/or iodine test I could do once she told me the sleep study was fine.  Of course, she did not mention that I only got 3 minutes of deep sleep.  No wonder, I am so tired every morning.  The sleep report even said to rule out Hypothyroidism.  I had the standard thyroid tests back in May but I have read there is more tests that can be done.  I also think I have Raynauds Disease which is another thing that could point to Hypothyroidism.  I will drink caffeine to keep me awake at work before I will take a pill for depression.  Needless, to say I won't be seeing that doctor again.  Thanks for the comment.