Types of Sleep Disorders
There are more than 84 different types of sleep disorders, most of which can be diagnosed and treated with the aid of a sleep study. Following are a few of the most common:
- Chronic fatigue: a disorder that produces an ongoing feeling of tiredness, malaise, sleepiness, boredom, or depression; has various causes and is sometimes associated with a sleep disorder.
- Insomnia: the most common sleep disorder; described as the inability to initiate or maintain sleep and is associated with daytime fatigue and sleepiness; often the result of stress, illness, environmental factors, or other conditions that throw off a normal sleep schedule
- Narcolepsy: a disorder that manifests itself through excessive daytime sleepiness, uncontrollable sleep attacks and muscle weakness triggered by sudden emotional reactions such as laughter or fear; sometimes accompanied by vivid dreamlike scenes or paralysis upon falling asleep or waking.
- Parasomnias: a disorder that may include nightmares, chest pain, night terrors, sleepwalking and sleep talking; most common in childhood and sometimes worsens during adolescence and adulthood.
- Restless legs syndrome (RLS): neurological movement disorder characterized by abnormal, uncomfortable stinging in the legs that typically occurs or worsens when a person is at rest; a near-constant "pins and needles" feeling that results in constant moving of the legs and prevents a restful sleep.
- Sleep apnea: a disorder that occurs when air cannot flow in or out of a person's nose or mouth although efforts to breathe continue; caused by mechanical and structural problems in the airway that cause interruptions in breathing (i.e., throat muscles and tongue relax, excessive amount of tissue in the airway); results in choking sensations during sleep and is almost always accompanied by snoring between apnea episodes.
- Sleep/Wake Cycle Disorders: a disorder accompanied by symptoms of insomnia or sleepiness at inappropriate times; associated with patients who work rotating schedules, suffer from jet lag, or have insufficient sleep syndrome; can become progressive and chronic, but can be treated with medication and therapy.