What are the signs of a sleep disorder?
[Dr. Decker] There are many signs of sleep disorders. Daytime sleepiness is one of the primary signs and its dangerous in its own right. Daytime sleepiness may reflect not getting enough sleep at night or having an irregular sleep schedule from something like shift work. And there are other very serious sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea or insomnia, and these also cause daytime sleepiness, and all of these disorders can be treated. [Susan Laird] Dr. Reeves, how serious a problem is it if a sleep disorder isnt diagnosed? [Dr. Reeves] Well, everybody understands that your quality of life is terrible when youre sleepy. You just feel sleepy. Excessive daytime sleepiness greatly increases the risk of accidents on the highway, accidents at work, and just not doing well at work. Insufficient sleep and primary sleep disorders like sleep apnea are also associated with very serious medical diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. And, as Dr. Decker noted, only
