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Review
. 2024 Aug 29:15:1443827.
doi: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1443827. eCollection 2024.

The relationship between dizziness and sleep: a review of the literature

Roeland B van Leeuwen  1 , Tjard R Schermer  1   2 , Henri P Bienfait  3
Affiliations
Review

The relationship between dizziness and sleep: a review of the literature

Roeland B van Leeuwen et al. Front Neurol. .

Abstract

Background: The relation between vestibular disorders and (quality of) sleep is underexplored scientifically and the complex interactions between vestibular and sleep disorders are far from being well understood. Some studies have been conducted on the association between patients with vestibular disorders and (the occurrence of) sleep disorders, other studies have been published on the prevalence of dizziness complaints in patients with sleep disorders. The quality of sleep in patients with vestibular disorders generally receives little attention in clinical practice.

Objective: To establish what is currently known about the mutual relationship between dizziness and sleep, and to assess whether or not there is evidence of causality with regard to this relationship.

Methods: After systematically searching four literature database up until 1 April 2024, selected studies were summarized and evaluated through a (critical) review.

Results: Ultimately, 42 studies were selected and evaluated. Patients with dizziness in general and patients with a specific vestibular disorder like Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, Vestibular Migraine, Meniere's disease, and vestibular hypofunction were significantly more likely to have sleep disorders than control groups. A causal relationship is not supported due to the nature of the studies. In patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome there were significantly more vestibular complaints, and more disorders in the vestibular system were identified.

Conclusion: Dizziness complaints often co-exist with a sleep disorder. To what extent this sleep disorder influences dizziness is not clear. Paying attention to the quality of sleep in patients with a vestibular disorder seems to be important. In patients with OSAS, consideration should be given to vestibular complaints and dysfunction.

Keywords: Meniere’s disease; OSAS; benign paroxismal positional vertigo; dizziness [35, 838]; review; sleep; vestibular dysfunction; vestibular migraine.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Interrelationship between vestibular disorder, anxiety, mood disorder and sleep.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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