Sleep disorders

What are sleep disorders?

Sleep disorders are problems related to sleep. They are a set of alterations that occur in the different phases of sleep, preventing you from enjoying a proper, continuous and restful sleep. There are many different types of sleep disorders and these can be grouped into four main categories:

Problems falling asleep and staying asleep
Problems staying awake
Problems maintaining a regular sleep schedule
Unusual behaviour during sleep

What are the symptoms of sleep disorders?

Some of the general symptoms of sleep disorders are:

Physical exhaustion
Low performance
Daytime sleepiness
Difficulty complying with professional, family or social obligations

On the other hand, there are specific symptoms that can occur, depending on the type of sleep disorder. Some are:

Sleepwalking – a state in which the person gets up and acts semi-consciously during sleep, without realising what they are doing, or remembering what they did whilst sleepwalking.
Night terrors – episodes of agitation due to fear that can be accompanied with sleepwalking.
Nightmares – unpleasant and frightening dreams that provoke a sudden awakening, both in children and adults.
Snoring

Common sleep disorders include:

Insomnia (difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep)
Narcolepsy (a neurological disorder that affects the control of sleep and wakefulness)
Sleep apnoea (disruptions and pauses in breathing during sleep)
Restless legs syndrome (unpleasant sensations in the legs, with an uncontrollable urge to move them)
Hypersomnia (excessive daytime sleepiness)
Parasomnias (sleep disorders that cause arousals from REM sleep, e.g. nightmares and sleepwalking)

What causes sleep disorders?

The causes of sleep disorders vary and can be due to several causes, such as:

Allergies and breathing problems
Chronic pain
Stress
Anxiety and other psychiatric disorders
Nocturia (the frequent urge to urinate)
Underlying health conditions (e.g. restless leg syndrome is often associated with Parkinson’s disease)
Environmental factors (e.g. light, noise or extreme temperatures)
Night shift work
Medications
Ageing (older age is associated with the development of certain sleep disorders)

What is the treatment for sleep disorders?

The treatment for sleep disorders depends on the type of disorder the patient has. In general, specialists recommend avoiding taking medications that may cause insomnia or avoid consuming caffeine, sugary drinks, alcohol and tobacco. Also, it is advisable to shorten the time you are in bed to only when you go to sleep. That is, it is important not to watch television, read, or eat whilst in bed.

Depending on your sleep disorder, a specialist may require you to enter a sleep lab to analyse your patterns of sleep. In a sleep lab, you are connected to monitors that track the heart, brain and breathing whilst you sleep.

Here are some specific treatments for common sleep disorders:

Insomnia – improving ‘sleep hygiene’, such as avoiding caffeine, exercising regularly, keeping your bedroom dark and quiet.
Snoring – sleeping on your side, quitting smoking, treating any underlying allergies.
Sleep apnoea – you may require a CPAP machine whilst you sleep, which keeps your airways open.
Narcolepsy – having scheduled naps and medication to keep you awake during the day.

Articles related to Sleep disorders

Teenage boy walking down the street touching the back of his head

How CBT helps teenagers take on depression, anxiety and sleep problems

By Dr Marie Clarke
2022-05-28

If your teenage son or daughter is struggling with depression, anxiety or a sleep problem, CBT can be a powerful and effective treatment to help them overcome one of the most common psychological conditions in teenagers. Dr Marie Clarke, a clinical psychologist from Birmingham explains more. See more

A black and white image of a woman sleeping in bed.

Parasomnias explained: what are they and how are they treated?

By Professor Matthew Walker
2022-05-27

Parasomnias are a group of sleep disorders such as night terrors, sleepwalking and sleep behavioural disorders. They happen during REM and non-REM sleep and can be very troublesome for those who are affected by them. Professor Matthew Walker is on hand to explain what these are, why they happen and how they are dealt with. See more

5 tips for better sleep

By Dr Sue Peacock
2022-05-27

It can be difficult to get a good night’s sleep with work pressure, stress and a million thoughts running through your head. We interviewed Top Doctor Sue Peacock about a recent talk she gave to find out what we can do to sleep better and wake up refreshed. See more

Sleep disorders in children: Answering the questions keeping parents up at night

By Dr Mark Rosenthal
2022-05-17

Paediatric sleep disorders can cause perplexing issues for parents, with symptoms like snoring, failure to settle and parasomnias. It's good to know that there's medical assistance and advice which can relieve these deeply stressful situations. Leading consultant paediatrician and pulmonologist Dr Mark Rosenthal is here to put various sleep disorders to bed in this informative article. See more

Experts in Sleep disorders