Sleep Disorders and Explanations

Sleep apnea occurs when a person’s breathing cycle stops and then restarts while he or she is trying to sleep at night; causing interruptions in sleep. There are three types of sleep apnea: Obstructive, Central and Mixed. Many people suffering from sleep apnea are not aware of their condition.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea occurs when a person’s airway becomes blocked by the tongue, or excess tissue surrounding the throat; therefore, resulting in a loss of oxygen to the body. Some common symptoms of OSA are snoring, breathing pauses and restless sleep.

Central Sleep Apnea occurs when the brain fails to signal designated muscles to begin breathing, and usually occurs in older patients.

Mixed Sleep Apnea is a combination of Central Sleep Apnea and Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Narcolepsy a person suffering from narcolepsy will fall asleep unexpectedly many times during the day. A nervous system disorder involving the REM phase of sleep is usually to blame for this disorder. Symptoms may include hallucinations, muscle weakness and immobility.

Chronic Insomnia a person suffering from chronic insomnia may find it impossible to fall or stay asleep during the night. Some possible causes of Chronic Insomnia may include stress, anxiety, depression and pain.

Daytime Sleepiness hinders a person’s ability to perform normal daily tasks, either at work or at home, because of extreme fatigue due to a possible sleep disorder. A person with daytime sleepiness may receive a total of eight hours of sleep a night.

Restless Leg Syndrome a condition when a person has the uncontrollable urge to move their legs. The sufferer has difficulty falling asleep and may experience daytime sleepiness.

Periodic Limb Movement (PLMS) consists of twitching in the legs and sometimes arms during sleep. These muscle jerks may occur as often as once or twice a minute for an hour or two at a time. This disorder may not fully awaken the sleeper but it does prevent sound sleep.

Parasomnias are sleep disorders that include:
Somnambulism (sleep walking)
Enuresis (bed wetting)
Night terrors Nightmares
Nocturnal seizures
Bruxism (teeth grinding)
Jactatio capitis nocturnis (head banging)