Dr. Saraswat Kumarshri Shriniwas
Psychiatry
The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.
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Patient's Query
Hello doctor,
I have been sleeping poorly for a very long time. I own a smartwatch. And according to it, I get much less REM and deep sleep than expected. Kindly look at my sleep values and let me know the possible risks that I possess. I have been sleeping for a long time in a Faraday cage made of spun silver threads that prevent electromagnetic radiation and reduce the risk of sleep disorders. I am convinced that my sleep problems are due to external causes. I have attached the values of my sleep from my smartwatch.
Is there a risk of severe damage to the brain or heart because of this sleep disturbance?
Kindly help.
Hello,
Welcome to icliniq.com.
I have gone through your sleep data (attachments removed to protect the patient’s identity). The ratio of sleep phases makes more sense when put in perspective of 8 hours sleep duration.
I see that you sleep on an average of ten hours per night. So, your total deep sleep and REM sleep (rapid eye movement) is sufficient or atleast quite close to normal. So do not worry too much. Your sleep architecture is quite typical (more deep sleep early in the night and more REM later on). This is more important than the ratios. I do not think you need a sleep study unless you are obsessed with finding your sleep ratios precisely.
Also, Melatonin is known to be beneficial only in jet lag and shift workers. Though it is often taken for sleep disturbance, I do not recommend it much to my patients. I do not like to mess with the circadian rhythm.
Regarding your palpitations and chest pain, kindly consult your cardiologist for better treatment.
Regards.
Patient's Query
Thank you doctor,
Hello. Thanks for your answer. I probably sleep nine to nine and a half an hour a night but would sleep a little less if I could. Even though I sleep for nine and a half an hour, I often have problems thinking clearly as I feel, and I have to sleep extra in the form of power naps during the day (when I do not work and have the opportunity to do so). According to my smartwatch, I can sometimes fall into a deep sleep immediately, just after a few minutes, which remains strange as I understood? I assume that equipment for measuring sleep or sleep phases through EEG in the home is difficult to access (alternatively expensive)?
Now, I often work in the evenings and get to bed a little later than desired. But I always manage to go to bed early every night, no later than 10.00 PM. I will get up around 06.00 to 06.30 AM. But I continue receiving the same low percentage in terms of REM and deep sleep. Do this must be considered problematic? Thanks for the warning about melatonin. I do not take much, about 0.5 milligrams. Greetings.
Hello,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
Your smartwatch measures sleep phases based on arm movements and vitals, which is not 100% accurate or reliable. It could be the reason why it seems that you fall into deep sleep earlier. Polysomnography is the investigation done at a sleep laboratory. EEG (electroencephalogram) is a part of it. It is cumbersome to apply, tedious to measure, and requires skill for interpretation. I would not recommend reading too much into your smartwatch readings, even no matter your sleep time. If you want to get your sleep evaluated, you need to visit a sleep laboratory. Regarding your problem with thinking clearly, it could be due to many reasons, and it will require a detailed evaluation by a physician. Regards.
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Psychiatry
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