& Healing Centre
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Sleeping Disorders.
A sleep disorder (somnipathy) is a medical disorder of the sleep
patterns of a person or animal. Some sleep disorders are serious enough to
interfere with normal physical, mental and emotional functioning. A test
commonly ordered for some sleep disorders is the polysomnogram.
The most common sleep disorders include:
Primary insomnia: Chronic difficulty in falling asleep and/or maintaining sleep
when no other cause is found for these symptoms.
Bruxism: Involuntarily grinding or clenching of the teeth while sleeping
Delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS): inability to awaken and fall asleep at
socially acceptable times but no problem with sleep maintenance, a disorder of
circadian rhythms. Other such disorders are advanced sleep phase syndrome (ASPS)
and Non-24-hour sleep-wake syndrome (Non-24), both much less common than DSPS.
Hypopnea syndrome: Abnormally shallow breathing or slow respiratory rate while
sleeping
Narcolepsy: Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) often culminating in falling
asleep spontaneously but unwillingly at inappropriate times.
Cataplexy, a sudden weakness in the motor muscles that can result in collapse to
the floor.
Night terror, Pavor nocturnus, sleep terror disorder: abrupt awakening from
sleep with behavior consistent with terror
Parasomnias: Disruptive sleep-related events involving inappropriate actions
during sleep stages - sleep walking and night-terrors are examples.
Periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD): Sudden involuntary movement of arms
and/or legs during sleep, for example kicking the legs. Also known as nocturnal
myoclonus. See also Hypnic jerk, which is not a disorder.
Rapid eye movement behavior disorder (RBD): Acting out violent or dramatic
dreams while in REM sleep
Restless legs syndrome (RLS): An irresistible urge to move legs. RLS sufferers
often also have PLMD.
Situational circadian rhythm sleep disorders: shift work sleep disorder (SWSD)
and jet lag
Obstructive sleep apnea: Obstruction of the airway during sleep, causing lack of
sufficient deep sleep; often accompanied by snoring. Other forms of sleep apnea
are less common.
Sleep paralysis is characterized by temporary paralysis of the body shortly
before or after sleep. Sleep paralysis may be accompanied by visual, auditory or
tactile hallucinations. Not a disorder unless severe. Often seen as part of
Narcolepsy.
Sleepwalking or somnambulism: Engaging in activities that are normally
associated with wakefulness (such as eating or dressing), which may include
walking, without the conscious knowledge of the subject.
Nocturia: A frequent need to get up and go to the bathroom to urinate at night.
It differs from Enuresis, or bed-wetting, in which the person does not arouse
from sleep, but the bladder nevertheless empties.
Somniphobia, a dread of sleep
