Sleep Disorders
What is a Sleep Disorder?
There are 91 known sleep disorders.
Here are a few of the most common:
Sleep Apnea
A serious life-threatening breathing disorder which affects 6 million adult Americans. Sleep Apnea can be associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. 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. Characteristics include:
- Brief Interruptions of airflow during sleep and loss of oxygen
- Repetitive arousals, often unnoticed, during sleep
- Falling asleep at inappropriate times of day, such as while driving, working, or talking
- Early morning headaches
- Depression, irritability and sexual dysfunction
- Learning and memory difficulties
Periodic Limb Movements in Sleep (PLMS)
A syndrome that consists of periodic movement 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)
A syndrome marked by uncomfortable leg sensations that occur continually while the body is at rest. Estimated to be the basic cause of sleep deprivation for up to 4 million adult Americans.
Insomnia
The inability to fall asleep or stay asleep. Estimated to plague one in three American adults.
For more information and additional resources on sleep disorders, vist our Links section.