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Home > Education > Sleep Disorders Sleep Disorders From a practical standpoint, a sleep disorder can be any medical condition that interferes with your ability to sleep restfully on a consistent basis. Common sleep disorders include but are not limited to:Narcolepsy A chronic neurological disorder that affects the region of the central nervous system that regulates sleep and wakefulness. Symptoms of narcolepsy generally appear in the second decade of life. It affects an estimated 200,000 Americans and is characterized by the following signs and symptoms (not all individuals with narcolepsy experience every sign or symptom):
Sleep Apnea A serious, potentially life-threatening breathing disorder which affects an estimated 20 million Americans. Recent large-scale studies indicate a direct link of sleep apnea and hypertension, obesity, diabetes and stroke risk as well as many other serious health conditions when left undiagnosed and untreated. More common in men than women, apnea is experienced by sufferers as a lack of air flow throughout the night. This leads to frequent brief arousals. Sleep apnea is characterized by the following signs and symptoms:
Periodic Leg Movements in Sleep (PLMS) A syndrome that consists of periodic movements of the legs, feet, and/or toes during sleep. People with PLMS are often not aware of these movements, and often complain of several symptoms, including: insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness, frequent awakenings from sleep, or unrefreshing sleep. Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) Is marked by uncomfortable leg sensations that occur continually while the body is at rest. It may be a central nervous system disorder and occasionally is associated with iron-deficiency anemia, pregnancy or diabetes. RLS is the basic cause of sleep deprivation for up to an estimated 4 million adult Americans. RLS is characterized by the following signs and symptoms:
Circadian Rhythm Disruption More than 25 million Americans have non-traditional work schedules, and many of these individuals have difficulty sleeping during the day and staying alert on the job at night. Shift workers' struggles are biologically based: Their sleep and work schedules conflict with their biological clocks. The biological clock or circadian rhythm is the fluctuation of sleep-wake states. This fluctuation is generally linked to the 24-hour, daily dark-light cycle. Shift workers attempt to sleep when their bodies tell them to be awake, which often results in chronic sleep loss. Shift workers are more likely than people who keep "traditional" work schedules to experience:
Insomnia People who have insomnia report that their sleep is inadequate or poor quality. It may be characterized by one or more of the following:
About 30 to 40 percent of adults report insomnia in any given year. For 10 to 15 percent of these people, their insomnia is chronic and/or severe. Our ability to sleep decreases with age. Insomnia is more common in women, especially after menopause. REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) People with REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) tend to speak and shout and also move vigorously or violently during REM sleep. These episodes of abnormal movements may result in injury to the patient or a bed partner. If the patient awakens during these episodes, the patient reports that the specifics of the observed movements correspond to the violent events taking place in a dream. Muscles, except those that mediate breathing and movement of the eyes, fingers and toes, are paralyzed during normal REM sleep. Electrical activity and oxygen consumption of the brain continues to the same degree as during wakefulness. In some cases, it is sufficient to make the diagnosis of REM sleep behavior based on the patient's history. In other cases, it is difficult to distinguish the symptoms from those of sleep walking, sleep talking, seizures or sleep terrors. For these difficult cases, it is sometimes helpful to do an overnight sleep recording, known as a polysomnogram (PSG). An episode of REM sleep behavior disorder may be recorded during the polysomnogram or there may be one or more awakenings directly from Stage REM sleep. Sleepwalking Sleepwalking (Somnambulism) is characterized by complex sometimes semi-purposeful activity that arises from Stages 3 and 4 sleep, usually during the first hour or two of sleep. The affected person may sit up in bed or arise and walk about, occasionally sustaining an injury. When awakened during the episode or after awakening for the day, the patient has no recollection for what occurred. Sleep terrors (pavor nocturnus) are characterized by the affected individual screaming during awakening and then often jumping up from bed in terror. Initially there is disorientation. On questioning, a recollection of experiencing intense fear is described rather than the specifics of a typical dream. Sleep terrors arise from Stage 3 and 4 sleep and, like somnambulism, are therefore most likely to occur during the first hour or two of sleep. Sleep terrors and sleepwalking are more common in childhood than during adult years, but in some cases may begin or persist into adulthood. There is a tendency for these disorders to run in the family. Sleepwalking is diagnosed through a combination of history and sleep studies including actigraphy and polysomnography. Disclaimer: The medical information contained on this site is intended solely for informational purposes and is not intended as medical advice or as a replacement for medical advice offered by physicians. It should not be used for treatment purposes, but rather patients and consumers should review the information carefully with their professional health care provider. |
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