Can Epilepsy Affect Sleep? The Role of Sleep Centers in Epilepsy Treatment

Epilepsy and sleep are closely connected. If you have epilepsy, there’s a chance your sleep is affected too. And if your sleep is poor, your seizures might get worse. Many people don't realize this link. But doctors who treat epilepsy and sleep problems see it often.

How epilepsy affects sleep

Seizures can happen at any time — during the day or at night. Some people only have seizures while they sleep. These are called nocturnal seizures. They may cause body jerks, confusion when waking up, or even wetting the bed. Often, people don’t even know they’re having them unless someone else notices.

Sleep itself can also trigger seizures. If you don’t sleep enough, or if your sleep is disturbed, your brain becomes more sensitive. This can make seizures more likely. That’s why sleep deprivation is one of the most common seizure triggers.

Some people also have seizures right as they fall asleep or during certain sleep stages. These patterns can only be understood clearly through sleep tests.

Sleep disorders in people with epilepsy

People with epilepsy often have sleep disorders too. This includes:

Insomnia: Trouble falling or staying asleep.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): Breathing stops and starts during sleep.

Restless Legs Syndrome: Uncomfortable sensations in the legs while resting.

Excessive Daytime Sleepiness: Feeling tired all day even after sleeping.

Sleep problems can make seizures worse, and seizures can make sleep worse. It becomes a cycle.

Many anti-seizure medicines also affect sleep. Some make you feel drowsy. Others can cause vivid dreams or even disturb your sleep quality.

Why sleep centers are important

This is where sleep centers come in. They help find out if your sleep is making your epilepsy worse. They also check if you’re having seizures during sleep that you don’t know about.

A sleep center does this using a test called a polysomnography or sleep study. It tracks your brain waves, breathing, movement, and heart rate during sleep. If you have epilepsy, they may also do a video EEG monitoring during sleep. This records brain activity and video at the same time. It helps detect seizures that happen at night or early morning.

These tests help your doctor understand:

Are you having nocturnal seizures?

Is poor sleep causing more seizures?

Do you have sleep apnea or other sleep disorders?

Are your epilepsy medicines affecting sleep?

Once they know the answers, they can adjust your treatment.

Treatment through combined care

If you have both epilepsy and sleep issues, you may need care from both a neurologist and a sleep specialist. Some hospitals or centers offer combined care — these are often called epilepsy sleep centers.

They focus on both seizure control and sleep improvement. For example:

If you have sleep apnea, using a CPAP machine can help reduce both sleep issues and seizure frequency.

If your seizures mostly happen at night, doctors may adjust your medication timing or type.

If you have insomnia, CBT-i (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia) or short-term medications might help.

When to visit a sleep center

You should consider visiting a sleep center if:

You feel very tired during the day despite getting enough sleep.

You have sudden jerks, confusion, or other strange symptoms during sleep.

You snore loudly or stop breathing at night.

You’ve noticed your seizures happen mostly during or after sleep.

Ignoring sleep problems can make epilepsy harder to control. So it’s important to treat both.

Final thoughts

Yes, epilepsy can affect your sleep. And poor sleep can trigger more seizures. It’s a two-way connection. If you or someone you know is facing this, don’t ignore it. A sleep center can help find the missing link between your sleep and seizures. Proper testing and care can make a big difference in daily life and seizure control.