brain, spinal cord, and nerve disorders
Insomnia and Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS)
Key Points
Poor sleep habits, stress, and conditions that disrupt people's internal sleep-wake schedule (such as shift work) cause many cases of insomnia and excessive daytime sleepiness. However, sometimes the cause is a disorder, such as obstructive sleep apnea or a mental disorder. Polysomnography done in a sleep laboratory or at home is usually recommended when doctors suspect the cause is obstructive sleep apnea or another sleep disorder, when the diagnosis is uncertain, or when general measures do not help. If insomnia is mild, changes in behavior (good sleep hygiene), such as following a regular sleep schedule, may be all that is needed. If changes in behavior are ineffective, cognitive-behavioral therapy is usually the next step, and, if needed, short-term use of a sleep aid (up to a few weeks) may be considered. Sleep aids are more likely to cause problems in older people and can increase the risk of falls. 