 Sleep
related Breathing Disorders (Sleep Apnea)
Snoring, if light, may be trivial. Heavy snoring
may be a symptom of a serious sleep disorder called
sleep apnea. People with sleep apnea stop breathing
again and again during sleep. These periods of no
breathing are called apneas and may typically last
10 - 30 seconds and can occur several hundred times
each night. The Most common symptoms of sleep apnea
are loud, disruptive snoring, witnessed apneas and
excessive daytime sleepiness. Back
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Narcolepsy
People, who are too sleepy during the day and
may feel muscular weakness when they are angry,
surprised or amused may have narcolepsy. Sometimes
narcoleptics experience terrifying dreams or hallucinations
just as they are falling asleep. Narcolepsy often
emerges in young adulthood and is a lifelong medical
disorder. Back to top
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Restless
Legs (RLS)
People who have Restless legs syndrome complain
of disagreeable ("creepy crawling") sensations
in their legs when they are sitting or lying still,
most commonly at bedtime. These unpleasant feelings
occur most often in the calves, the back of the
lower legs and are sometimes temporarily relieved
by moving or stretching the legs. Back
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Periodic limb Movement Disorder
(PLMD)
PLMD occurs most often when a person is asleep.
Usually in the legs, movement occurs at regular
intervals 30 - 40 seconds apart. The movements
may cause your bed partner to complain of kicking
or jerking and the sheets and blankets being twisted
or fall off the bed. People who have PLMD amy
not get the proper rest they need and feel like
they can't sleep and/or may feel excessively sleepy
during the day. Back to top
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Insomnia
Insomnia is the inability to fall asleep or to
maintain sleep. Insomnia may be related to other
conditions, some of which are psychological (chronic
depression or temporary stress), environmental (noise)
or physiological (pain or chronic breathing disorder).
Another common cause of insomnia is misuse of sleeping
pills. Back to top |
