Unit of Sleep

Sleep disorders are problems related to sleep and include difficulties in getting to sleep and staying asleep, facilitated by falling asleep at inappropriate times during the day and abnormal behaviour during sleep. These disorders are potentially a worldwide epidemic affecting approximately 40% of the population and can have a negative impact on the quality of life of patients, hindering their performance at work and school and affecting their social, family and conjugal relationships. These disorders are associated with cardiovascular risk factors (obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, dyslipidaemia), cardiovascular diseases (myocardial infarction, cerebral vascular accidents), neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, Parkinson's disease), respiratory diseases (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), cardiac diseases (heart failure), mental health disorders (generalized anxiety, depression) and traffic and occupational accidents. The most frequent sleep disorders are insufficient sleep at night (35%), snoring (25%), insomnia (30%), sleep apnoea (13-20%), sleepwalking (10%), restless legs syndrome (7%), shift work (3%), REM sleep disorder (0.07%) and narcolepsy (0.03%).

Currently, the unit provides care in 1) outpatient consultations, 2) day hospital, 3) together with the performance of complementary sleep tests in diagnostic areas where sleep tests are performed and patients are also seen, and 4) surgical procedures.