Sleep Disturbances
Sleep disturbances are disruptions to normal sleep patterns/cycles. There are many types, including:
Insomnia Insomnia is one of the most common sleep disturbances. It's characterized by difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. Subtypes include:
- Difficulty falling asleep (sleep onset insomnia)
- Awakening in the middle of the night or early morning and being unable to fall back to sleep (sleep maintenance insomnia)
- Waking up too early (terminal insomnia)
- Not feeling refreshed or restored despite achieving "adequate" duration of sleep (non-restorative sleep)
Sleep Apnea Sleep apnea involves pauses in breathing during sleep. The most common type is obstructive sleep apnea, which involves airway obstruction. This results in daytime sleepiness despite adequate duration of sleep.
Restless Legs Syndrome Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is characterized by uncomfortable "urges" to move the legs, which worsen at rest, especially in the evening. RLS symptoms can severely impact sleep quality and quantity.
Narcolepsy Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder that involves excessive daytime sleepiness and irregular rapid eye movement (REM) sleep cycles. Hallmark symptoms include cataplexy (sudden weakening of muscle tone triggered by emotions), sleep paralysis, and hypnagogic/hypnopompic hallucinations.
Circadian Rhythm Sleep-Wake Disorders Our internal "clock" regulates sleep and wake times. Circadian rhythm disorders involve a misalignment between the internal clock and external day-night cycle. Examples are delayed sleep phase syndrome (later sleep/wake schedule) and advanced sleep phase syndrome (earlier sleep/wake schedule).
Parasomnias Parasomnias encompass abnormal movements, behaviors, emotions, etc. during sleep. Examples include sleepwalking, confusional arousals, and REM sleep behavior disorder.
If you experience persistent unrefreshing sleep or symptoms that interfere with daytime functioning, discuss them with your doctor. Maintaining good sleep hygiene and avoiding triggers can help manage some sleep issues. Medications and therapies are also available as needed to treat underlying conditions contributing to sleep disturbances.