Sleep problems affect more than your energy level and daytime functioning.
Poor sleep can increase
the risk of other health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.
The good news, though, is that doctors know
more now than ever before about sleep difficulties. In fact, there are more than 80 known sleep disorders that can
be diagnosed and treated today.
Signs of Common Sleep Disorders include:
- Inability to fall asleep or stay asleep
- Loud, frequent snoring and daytime sleepiness
- "Creepy crawly" sensations that occur in the legs (and sometimes arms) when sitting or lying still
- People who work evening, rotating and on-call shifts can have difficultly sleeping because of the constant changes in their circadian rhythm (the normal cycle of sleeping and waking)
- Falling asleep in the daytime without warning
- Sleep walking, sleep terrors, sleep-related eating, and confusional arousals (a state of agitation in someone who seems to be awake; this is most common in infants and toddlers)
- Children can suffer from the same sleep disorders as adults and other problems unique to childhood such as large tonsils, night terrors, and problems settling at night. Pediatric sleep specialists are also here to help.