FAQS on sleep and its disorder

If you experience any of the following symptoms, you may benefit from meeting with an expert sleep specialist.
  • Loud and disturbing snoring
  • Trouble falling asleep several times per week
  • Difficulty staying asleep all night
  • Excessive drowsiness or tiredness throughout the day
  • Frequent headaches or dry/sore throat
  • Difficulty staying awake during the day, even when driving or working
  • Itchy, uncomfortable feeling in your legs
  • Unusual behaviors during the night

Some factors increase the likelihood of developing a sleep disorder:

  • Age: Disorders are more common in adults over 40.
  • Gender: Women are more likely to suffer from insomnia. Men are more likely to have sleep apnea.
  • Weight: Being overweight or obese significantly increases the likelihood of a sleep disorder.
  • Other medical problems: Those who suffer from high blood pressure, anxiety, or depression have a higher risk.

There are many ways to improve your “sleep hygiene” and help yourself get a better night’s sleep:

  • Establish a routine for going to bed, and stick with it
  • Exercise regularly, ideally every day
  • Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco for several hours before bedtime
  • Take time to unwind before you begin your nightly routine; learn relaxation techniques
  • Always sleep in a bed in a dark, quiet room
Whether you have occasional trouble sleeping or you’re living with a sleep disorder, you can get quality sleep and learn to better manage your condition.
  1. Obstructive Sleep Apnea Here’s information to help you understand how obstructive sleep apnea can affect your life and what can be done about it.
  2. Central Sleep Apnea In central sleep apnea, breathing is disrupted regularly during sleep because of the way the brain functions.
  3. An Overview of Insomnia Insomnia is a sleep disorder that is characterized by difficulty falling and/or staying asleep.
  4. Hypersomnia (Daytime Sleepiness) Hypersomnia, or excessive sleepiness, is a condition in which a person has trouble staying awake during the day. People who have hypersomnia can fall asleep at any time — for instance, at work or while they are driving.
  5. What Are Parasomnias? Parasomnias are disruptive sleep disorders that can occur during arousals from REM sleep or partial arousals from non-REM sleep. Parasomnias include nightmares, night terrors, sleepwalking, confusional arousals, and many others.
  6. REM Sleep Behavior Disorder In a person with REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), the paralysis that normally occurs during REM sleep is incomplete or absent, allowing the person to “act out” his or her dreams.
  7. Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders Circadian rhythm disorders are disruptions in a person’s circadian rhythm — a name given to the “internal body clock” that regulates the (approximately) 24-hour cycle of biological processes in animals and plants.
  8. Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder is a specific kind of circadian rhythm disorder that is particularly common among blind people.  People with N24 may find themselves gradually going to bed later each night and waking up later each day until their sleep schedule gets flipped all the way around.
  9. Periodic Limb Movement Disorder Periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD) is a sleep disorder characterized by rhythmic movements of the limbs during sleep.
  10. Shift Work Sleep Disorder Shift work sleep disorder is trouble sleeping because you work nights or rotating shifts. You also may have this problem if you have trouble staying awake or alert when you are supposed to work your shift.
  11. What Is Narcolepsy? Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder that affects the control of sleep and wakefulness