Sleep is an indispensible requirement for our body to continue functioning. Although sleep experts and scientists still have varying opinions about it, and ultimately cannot fully explain the exact reason why we need sleep, there’s no debating the fact that sleep is necessary for a healthy mind and body. However, it’s unfortunate that almost two-thirds of all Americans suffer from some form of sleep disorder at one point or another in their lives. If you have been noticing something’s not quite right with your sleep pattern or those of your loved ones’, check out the list of the most common sleep disorders below and see if any of the descriptions fit your experience.
* Insomnia – Also sometimes called sleeplessness, insomnia may involve difficulty in falling asleep (sleep-onset insomnia), trouble in staying asleep (sleep-maintaining insomnia), or waking up earlier than you should and not being able to get back to sleep (early morning awakening).
* Narcolepsy – While insomnia is sleeplessness, narcolepsy is on the other end of the sleep disorders spectrum in that it is characterized by hypersomnolence or excessive sleepiness. It involves uncontrollable daytime sleepiness, sleep paralysis, and sudden sleep attacks even during the day and at places not conducive or appropriate for sleeping.
* Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) – Apnea is a medical term which means a pause in breathing. Obstructive sleep apnea is characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep, resulting to a non-restful sleep, restlessness, daytime sleepiness and fatigue, and waking up with a headache or difficulty concentrating.
* Periodic Limb Movements and Restless Limb Syndrome – These conditions involve sudden, uncontrollable jerky movements of the extremities, causing disturbances in the sleep cycle and frequently resulting to insomnia and daytime sleepiness.
If you experience any of the above symptoms or other sleep pattern abnormalities such as sleep talking, sleep walking, and teeth grinding, it is best to try to determine the presence of a sleeping disorder with the help of a board-certified sleep physician. Complete physical exams and sleep studies will be done when necessary, to identify signs and symptoms and rule out any co-existing disorder which may be complicating or triggering the sleep disorder.
Sleep MD 4 U is a sleep disorder medical center that has been accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. It offers the services of board-certified sleep physicians to determine if you have a sleep disorder, accurately identify it, and promptly implement the appropriate course of treatment for your condition, all with the consideration of your personal needs and preferences. Further information about the specific diagnostic procedures, facilities, treatments, and services they offer can be found on their center’s website.