Sleep Disorders in Adults

The Center for Sleep Medicine works with a multidisciplinary team of physicians, clinical psychologists, and nurses to diagnose and treat complex sleep disorders in adults.

As a national and international expertise center, it covers the full spectrum of sleep medicine (somnology): sleep-related breathing disorders, neurological sleep disorders, insomnia, and circadian rhythm disorders. The Center for Sleep Medicine is recognized by the Dutch Federation of University Medical Centers (NFU) for the treatment of rare sleep disorders.

Sleep-related breathing disorders in adults, such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), are often treated with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP). The Center for Sleep Medicine focuses on patients for whom this treatment has proven insufficiently effective in secondary care. For these patients, we can contribute by:

• Improving symptoms despite CPAP therapy.
• Conducting precise diagnostics (such as polysomnography, esophageal pressure measurement, and transcutaneous CO2 monitoring) to better understand sleep disturbances.
• Optimizing CPAP settings and improving therapy adherence through intensive support.

Neurological sleep disorders in adults include:

• Narcolepsy: Involuntary sleep episodes during the day, often accompanied by cataplexy, sleep paralysis, and hallucinations.
• Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS): Patients experience an uncontrollable urge to move their legs, disrupting their sleep. This may be associated with other conditions, such as periodic limb movements during sleep.
• Parasomnias: Abnormal behaviors during sleep, such as sleepwalking and nightmares. These can pose a risk to the patient or their bed partner. In REM sleep behavior disorder, it may be an early indicator of Parkinson’s disease.

Chronic insomnia is a common condition in which patients have difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early without being able to fall back asleep. This condition often has significant consequences for daily functioning. The Center for Sleep Medicine provides multidisciplinary care, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), where patients receive treatment individually or in group sessions.

Circadian rhythm disorders in adults are characterized by a disrupted sleep-wake cycle, such as Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome (DSPS), where sleep is significantly delayed. Treatment often includes chronotherapy and light therapy, sometimes supplemented with medication or melatonin.