Sleep disorders involve any difficulties related to sleeping, including difficulty falling or staying asleep, falling asleep at inappropriate times, excessive total sleep time, or abnormal behaviors associated with sleep.

More than 100 different disorders of sleeping and waking have been identified. They can be grouped in four main categories:

• Problems with falling and staying asleep (insomnia)
• Problems with staying awake (excessive daytime sleepiness)
• Problems with sticking to a regular sleep schedule (sleep rhythm problem)
• Unusual behavoirs during sleep (sleep-disruptive behaviors)

PROBLEMS WITH FALLING AND STAYING ASLEEP

Insomnia includes any combination of difficulty with falling asleep, staying asleep, intermittent wakefulness and early-morning awakening. Episodes may come and go (be transient), last as long as 2 to 3 weeks (be short-term), or be long-lasting (chronic).

Common factors associated with insomnia include:

• Physical illness
• Depression
• Anxiety or stress
• Poor sleeping environment such as excessive noise or light
• Caffeine
• Alcohol or other drugs
• Use of certain medications
• Heavy smoking
• Physical discomfort
• Daytime napping
• Counterproductive sleep habits:
  • Early bedtimes
  • Excessive time spent awake in bed

Disorders include:

Images

Irregular sleep

Sleep patterns in younger and older adults

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Review Date: 08/12/2009
Reviewed By: Allen J. Blaivas, DO, Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Veteran Affairs, VA New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, NJ . Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)