Nature and Science of Sleep (Oct 2019)
Impact Of Spinal Cord Injury On Sleep: Current Perspectives
Abstract
Abdulghani Sankari,1,2 M Safwan Badr,1,2 Jennifer L Martin,3,4 Najib T Ayas,5 David J Berlowitz6–8 1Department of Internal Medicine, John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Detroit, MI, USA; 2Department of Internal Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA; 3Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, North Hills, CA, USA; 4Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; 5Department of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; 6Department of Physiotherapy, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; 7Department of Physiotherapy, Austin Health, Melbourne, Australia; 8Institute for Breathing and Sleep, Austin Health, Melbourne, AustraliaCorrespondence: Abdulghani SankariDivision of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, 3990 John R, 3-Hudson, Detroit, MI 48201, USATel +1 (313) 745-6033Fax +1 (313) 745-8725Email [email protected]: Sleep disorders are commonly encountered in people living with spinal cord injury (SCI). Primary sleep disorders such as sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), sleep-related movement disorders, circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders, and insomnia disorder are common conditions after SCI but remain under-recognized, underdiagnosed and therefore remain untreated for a majority of patients. Sleep disturbances in people living with SCI are associated with significant impairments of daytime function and quality of life. Previous reviews have described findings related mainly to SDB but have not examined the relationship between other sleep disorders and SCI. This narrative review examines various sleep abnormalities and related functional and physical impairments in people living with SCI. It discusses new evidence pertaining to management, highlights existing limitations in the literature and recommends future directions for research.Keywords: SCI, sleep-disordered breathing, leg movements, circadian rhythm sleep disorders, insomnia
