Sleeping Disorder

September 23, 2007

Since I touched the topic on sleeping disorder, let me just fill you in with some basic information - what is it all about, type and causes. I got this from Help Guide:

What is a sleep disorder?

A sleep disorder is any difficulty with sleep, including:

* difficulty falling or staying asleep,
* difficulty staying awake during the daytime (excessive sleepiness),
* sleeping too much,
* difficulty sleeping during normal sleep hours at nighttime,
* abnormal behaviors during sleep which disrupt sleep, or
* unrefreshing sleep.

What are the most common types of sleep disorders?

Over 100 types of sleep disorders exist. The tables below summarize details on symptoms and treatment of the most common types of sleep disorders:

* Insomnia: is a significant lack of high-quality sleep. It can be short-term or chronic. Insomnia may be caused by stress, a change in time zones or sleep schedule, poor bedtime habits, or an underlying medical or psychiatric condition.

* Sleep apnea sleep disorder: is a breathing interruption during sleep. Sleep apnea is a very serious sleep disorder and can be life-threatening.

* Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) and Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD): is a neurological disorder characterized by uncomfortable, tingly, or creeping sensations in your legs, which create an uncontrollable urge to keep them moving. RLS is not necessarily confined to your sleep time.

* Narcolepsy: is a chronic neurological disorder which impairs the ability of your central nervous system to regulate sleep. Because falling asleep during some activities like walking, driving, or cooking can have drastic effects, narcolepsy is a dangerous sleep disorder. In addition, the social consequences of narcolepsy are serious.

Read More HERE.