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Sleep disorders are problems with sleeping, including trouble falling or staying asleep, falling asleep at the wrong times, too much sleep, or abnormal behaviors during sleep.
Causes, incidence, and risk factorsThere are more than 100 different sleeping and waking disorders. They can be grouped into four main categories:
- Problems falling and staying asleep (insomnia)
- Problems staying awake (excessive daytime sleepiness)
- Problems sticking to a regular sleep schedule (sleep rhythm problem)
- Unusual behaviors during sleep (sleep-disruptive behaviors)
PROBLEMS FALLING AND STAYING ASLEEP
Insomniaincludes trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Episodes may come and go, last up to 3 weeks (be short-term), or be long-lasting (chronic).
PROBLEMS STAYING AWAKE
People with excessive daytime sleepiness feel tired during the day. Symptoms that are not caused by a lack of sleep or interrupted sleep are called hypersomnia.
Causes of this problem include:
- Medical conditions such as fibromyalgia and low thyroid function
- Mononucleosisor other viral illnesses
- Narcolepsy and other sleep disorders
- Obesity
When no cause for the sleepiness can be found, it is called idiopathic hypersomnia.
PROBLEMS STICKING TO A REGULAR SLEEP SCHEDULE
Problems may also occur when you do not stick to a regular sleep and wake schedule. This occurs when people travel between time zones and with shift workers who are on changing schedules, especially nighttime workers.
Disorders that involve a disrupted sleep schedule include:
- Irregular sleep-wake syndrome
- Jet lag syndrome
- Paradoxical insomnia (the person sleeps a different amount than they think they do)
- Shift work sleep disorder
SLEEP-DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIORS
Abnormal behaviors during sleep are called parasomnias. They are fairly common in children and include:
- Sleep terrors
- Sleepwalking
- REM sleep-behavior disorder (a person moves during REM sleep and may act out dreams)
Review Date: 08/16/2011
David B. Merrill, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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How many sleep disorders have been identified?
There are about 70 different sleep disorders.
What are treatments for people with sleep disorders?
Minor sleep disorders can be treated with over the counter sleep aids, but more serious disorders are treatable with melatonin.
What has the author Charles Pollak written?
Charles Pollak has written: 'The encyclopedia of sleep and sleep disorders' -- subject(s): Encyclopedias, Sleep disorders, Sleep
What is a somnologist?
A doctor who specializes in sleep and sleep disorders
What has the author Ronald Attanasio written?
Ronald Attanasio has written: 'Dental management of sleep disorders' -- subject(s): Sleep disorders, Sleep apnea syndromes, Sleep Apnea Syndromes, Bruxism, Therapy, Diagnosis, Dentistry, Sleep Bruxism, Methods 'Dental management of sleep disorders'
What sleep disorders cause fatigue?
There are a variety of sleep disorders that cause fatigue, including insomnia, hypersomnia, sleep apnea , and restless legs syndrome.
What distinguishes primary sleep disorders?
Primary sleep disorders are distinguished as those that are not caused by other mental disorders, prescription medications, substance abuse, or medical conditions.
What has the author P Lavie written?
P. Lavie has written: 'Sleep disorders' -- subject(s): Diagnosis, Physiological aspects, Physiological aspects of Sleep, Sleep, Sleep disorders, Treatment
What causes sleeping disorders for most?
Most sleep disorders seem to be exaserbated by exercising diet and inconsistent sleep schedule. The use of drugs are thought to make some disorders worse. Being overweight is a possible contributor to sleep disorder.
What is a doctor called who studies sleep disorders?
Polysomnography and Somnology are both used to describe the study of sleep and sleep disorders. A somnologist would be the best term for a scientist who studied sleep disorder, but he might not be a licensed doctor.
What is sleep disorder?
Sleep disorders are a group of syndromes characterized by disturbance in the patient's amount of sleep, quality or timing of sleep, or in behaviors or physiological conditions associated with sleep. There are approximately 70 different sleep disorders that may be the result of serious medical conditions, including breathing difficulties or thyroid disorders, or external factors, such as stress or substance abuse. Manifestations include insomnia, sleep apnea, and narcolepsy.
How are sleep disorders and medical conditions linked?
Some patients with chronic neurological conditions like Parkinson's disease or Huntington's disease may develop sleep disorders. Sleep disorders have also been associated with viral encephalitis, brain disease, and hypo- or hyperthyroidism.
