Sömnfragmentering

Sömnfragmentering, or sleep fragmentation, refers to the interruption of the sleep cycle, resulting in multiple awakenings or shifts between light and deep sleep stages during a typical sleep period. The condition can compromise the restorative quality of sleep and is distinguished from other sleep disorders such as insomnia by its pattern of repeated brief arousals rather than a primary inability to initiate or maintain sleep.

Causes of sleep fragmentation are multifactorial. Environmental factors such as noise, light, or temperature fluctuations can provoke frequent awakenings. Physiological issues, including sleep‑disordered breathing, periodic limb movement disorder, restless leg syndrome, nocturnal reflux, pain or nocturia, are common contributors. Psychogenic factors such as stress, anxiety, depression or circadian misalignment also increase the likelihood of fragmented sleep. Certain medications, particularly stimulants or antihistamines, and substance use can further exacerbate fragmentation.

The clinical consequences of sleep fragmentation are significant. Individuals often experience impaired daytime alertness, diminished cognitive performance, mood disturbances, and increased risk of accidents. Chronic fragmentation is associated with metabolic dysregulation, hypertension, mood disorders, and reduced overall life expectancy.

Assessment typically involves overnight polysomnography or actigraphy to quantify the number and duration of arousals, the distribution of sleep stages, and the overall sleep efficiency. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale and Stanford Sleepiness Scale can complement objective measures by evaluating subjective daytime sleepiness.

Management strategies seek to treat underlying causes, minimize environmental disruptions, and restore consolidated sleep. Continuous positive airway pressure therapy, oral appliances or surgery can alleviate obstructive sleep apnea. Treating restless leg syndrome with dopaminergic agents or iron supplementation addresses periodic limb movements. Cognitive‑behavioral therapy for insomnia helps mitigate psychogenic arousals. Pharmacologic agents aimed at modifying sleep architecture, such as gaboxadol analogues, are under investigation. In many cases, multimodal approaches combining behavioral, pharmacologic, and environmental modifications yield the best outcomes.

Current research focuses on elucidating the neurobiological mechanisms linking fragmentation to daytime dysfunction and on developing wearable technologies capable of detecting and providing real‑time intervention for disrupted sleep.