Differential Diagnosis for Unrestful Sleep
- Single most likely diagnosis
- Insomnia: This is the most common cause of unrestful sleep, characterized by difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, or both, despite adequate opportunities to sleep, leading to impaired daytime functioning.
- Other Likely diagnoses
- Sleep Apnea: A condition where breathing stops and starts during sleep, leading to poor sleep quality and daytime tiredness.
- Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS): Characterized by an irresistible urge to move the legs, usually due to uncomfortable sensations, which can significantly disrupt sleep.
- Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD): Involves involuntary movements of the legs or arms during sleep, disrupting sleep patterns.
- Anxiety and Depression: Mental health disorders that can lead to unrestful sleep due to racing thoughts, stress, or emotional distress.
- Do Not Miss (ddxs that may not be likely, but would be deadly if missed.)
- Sleep-related Hypoventilation: A condition where breathing is too shallow or too slow during sleep, potentially leading to serious health issues like respiratory failure.
- Narcolepsy: A neurological disorder that affects the brain’s ability to regulate sleep-wake cycles, leading to excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden sleep attacks.
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Pregnancy: Can lead to serious complications for both mother and fetus if not addressed.
- Rare diagnoses
- Fatal Familial Insomnia (FFI): A rare genetic degenerative brain disorder that leads to complete inability to sleep, eventually resulting in death.
- Kleine-Levin Syndrome: A rare disorder characterized by recurring periods of excessive daytime sleepiness, often accompanied by automatic behavior and confusion.
- Idiopathic Hypersomnia: A rare neurological disorder that causes excessive daytime sleepiness, even after adequate sleep at night.