Relation between dizziness and sleep quality

Abstract

Dizziness may be caused by multiple factors including unknown reasons. It is well known that insomnia is associated with increased psychological symptomatology and perceived stress, higher predisposition to arousal, and greater impairments to quality of health. The relationship between dizziness and stress is well documented, but that between dizziness and insomnia is unclear. In this series, we focus on Ménière's disease, which is characterized by fluctuating and progressive hearing loss, aural fullness, tinnitus, and intermittent attacks of vertigo, an illusory sensation of movement resulting from dysfunction of the labyrinth and cochlea, to investigate the relation between sleep disorders and dizziness. In our previous report, we first found that the sleep quality of Ménière's disease patients was impaired. Ménière's patients have a longer total sleeping time, lack of deep sleep stages, increased arousal, and the combination with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and/or periodic limb movement disorder was occasionally noted. Poor quality of sleep may cause additional stress and lead Ménière's disease patients into a negative spiral of symptoms. Furthermore, poor sleep quality may result in Ménière's disease patients being refractory to medical management. Therefore, prospective treatment focusing on the sleep disorders of, not just Ménière's disease but possibly also dizziness symptoms, may become an additional new strategy for terminating the negative spiral of symptoms and reduce exacerbation of the affected patient's conditions.