Sleep Disorders

What Is Sleep Disorder?

Basically, sleep disorder is a problem which affects our sleeping patterns. This interrupt while we are trying to sleep and dont let us sleep properly. Sleep disorders sometime can be serious enough to interfere with our physical and mental conditions.
Some changes in our lifestyle can assemble sleep disorders.



Some common sleep disorders:

• Bruxism: Involuntarily grinding or clenching of the teeth while sleeping
• Delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS): nability to awaken and fall asleep at socially acceptable times.
  
• Hyponea Syndrome: Abnormally shallow breathing or slow respiratory rate while sleeping.
• Narcolepsy: The condition of falling asleep unwillingly at inappropriate times.
• Parasomnias: Include a variety of disruptive sleep-related events
• Periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD): Sudden involuntary movement of arms and/or legs during sleep, for example kicking the legs.
• Rapid eye movement behavior disorder (RBD): Acting out violent or dramatic dreams while in sleep.
• Restless legs syndrome (RLS): An irresistible urge to move legs.
• Obstructive sleep apnea: Obstruction of the airway during sleep, causing lack of sufficient deep sleep.
• Sleep paralysis is characterized by temporary paralysis of the body shortly before or after sleep.
• Sleepwalking or somnambulism: Engaging in activities that are normally associated with wakefulness (such as eating or dressing), which may include walking, without the conscious knowledge of the subject.

Broad classifications of sleep disorders

• Dyssomnias - A broad category of sleep disorders characterized by either hypersomnolence or insomnia. The three major subcategories include intrinsic (i.e., arising from within the body), extrinsic (secondary to environmental conditions or various pathologic conditions), and disturbances of circadian rhythm.

• Parasomnias
• REM sleep behaviour disorder
• Sleep terror
• Sleepwalking (or somnambulism)
• Bruxism (Tooth-grinding)
• Bedwetting or sleep enuresis.
• Sudden infant death syndrome
• Sleep talking (or somniloquy)
• Sleep sex (or sexsomnia)
• Exploding head syndrome - Waking up in the night hearing loud noises.

Medical or Psychiatric Conditions that may produce sleep disorders

• Psychoses (such as Schizophrenia)
• Mood disorder
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Panic
• Alcoholism
• Sleeping sickness - a parasitic disease which can be transmitted by the Tsetse fly

Common causes of sleep disorders

Changes in life style, such as shift work change (SWC), can contribute to sleep disorders.

Other problems that can affect sleep:

• Anxiety
• Back pain
• Chronic pain
• Sciatica
• Neck pain
• Environmental noise
• Incontinence

• Various drugs - Many drugs can affect the ratio of the various stages of sleep, thus affecting the overall quality of sleep. Poor sleep can lead to accumulation of Sleep debt
• Endocrine imbalance mainly due to Cortisol but not limited to this hormone. Hormone changes due to impending menstruation or during the menopause also affects.
• Chronobiological disorders, mainly Circadian rhythm disorders

General principles of treatment

Treatments for sleep disorders generally can be grouped into four categories:

• behavioral/ psychotherapeutic treatments
• rehabilitation/management
• medications
• other somatic treatments

None of these general approaches is sufficient for all patients with sleep disorders. Rather, the choice of a specific treatment depends on the patient's diagnosis, medical and psychiatric history, and preferences, as well as the expertise of the treating clinician. Often, behavioral/psychotherapeutic and pharmacological approaches are not incompatible and can effectively be combined to maximize therapeutic benefits. Management of sleep disturbances that are secondary to mental, medical, or substance abuse disorders should focus on the underlying conditions.

Medications and somatic treatments may provide the most rapid symptomatic relief from some sleep disturbances. Some disorders, such as narcolepsy, are best treated pharmacologically. Others, such as chronic and primary insomnia, may be more amenable to behavioral interventions, with more durable results.

Special equipment may be required for treatment of several disorders such as obstructive apnea, the circadian rhythm disorders and bruxism. In these cases, when severe, an acceptance of living with the disorder, however well managed, is often necessary.