Published on 12th April 2008 by Joyce Turner in Diseases and Conditions

Sleep Disorders vary in nature and degree. The three major sleep disorders are dyssomnias (insomnia), hypersomnia (disorders of excessive sleepiness) and parasomnias (abnormal behaviors during sleep).The journal "Spine" published a study that examined three kinds of mattresses on back pain. They looked at waterbeds, foam mattresses and "hard" mattresses. What they did was take 160 patients with back pain and randomly replace their mattress with one of the three options above. The patients slept on the new mattress for one month. It is common among adults but rare among children. There are two types of sleep apnea, the more common obstructive sleep apnea and the less common central sleep apnea, both of which will be described later in this article. Although a diagnosis of sleep apnea often will be suspected on the basis of a person's history, there are several tests that can be used to confirm the diagnosis. The treatment of sleep apnea may be either surgical or nonsurgical. Symptoms of Sleep Disorders Particular behaviors during normal daytime activities are telltale signs of sleep deprivation. If you are experiencing one or more of the following symptoms during the day, you may not be getting enough restful sleep at night, and you may even have a sleep disorder. Recurrent episodes of abrupt awakening from sleep, usually occurring during the first third of the major sleep episode and beginning with a panicky scream. People awakened after sleeping more than a few minutes are usually unable to recall the last few minutes before they fell asleep. This sleep-related form of amnesia is the reason people often forget telephone calls or conversations they've had in the middle of the night. It also explains why we often do not remember our alarms ringing in the morning if we go right back to sleep after turning them off. Loss of Energy: More than 90% of depressed people experience overwhelming loss of energy. This can cause a person to stay home and avoid social interaction, and prevent a person from starting or finishing projects, maintaining previous interests, or exercising. The effects of diminished energy compound the effects of depression, when work, school, and family obligations are compromised. Also, lack of activity results in loss of muscle tone, muscle mass, and, eventually, bone mass. Longer total sleep time than normal in some children, especially obese children or those with severe apnea. Intense fear and signs of autonomic arousal, such as tachycardia, rapid breathing, and sweating, during each episode. When we switch into REM sleep, our breathing becomes more rapid, irregular, and shallow, our eyes jerk rapidly in various directions, and our limb muscles become temporarily paralyzed. Our heart rate increases, our blood pressure rises, and males develop penile erections. When people awaken during REM sleep, they often describe bizarre and illogical tales – dreams. Restless leg syndrome is characterized by an uncomfortable sensation, usually in the legs, that occurs primarily at night and when a person is relaxed. The uncomfortable sensation diminishes when the legs are moved. This is commonly associated with periodic limb movement disorder, in which a patient has limb movements during sleep. It usually causes insomnia and may cause daytime sleepiness. The main feature of this disorder is the acting out of dreams. The behavior can include punching, kicking, leaping, and running from the bed. The most common reason for medical consultation is injury to the bed partner, although the effects of sleep disruption can also precipitate such consultation. The event occurs during REM sleep.

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