Having trouble sleeping? 16 Most Common Sleep Disorders Listed Here

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Difficulty or Inability to get into sleep is called Insomnia

What is a Sleeping Disorder?

Sleep Disorder is a disorder in the sleeping pattern that affects or disrupts sleep. Lack of quality sleep has a negative impact on energy, emotional balance, productivity, and health of people. Sleep disorders may also cause the person to sleep excessively, which is known as hypersomnia. Some sleep disorders are very dangerous for people as these can affect their physical, mental, and emotional functioning.

According to the National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research, at least 40 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders and another 20 to 30 million experience occasional sleep problems.

Common Sleeping Disorders

Insomnia – It is the most common sleeping disorder. Difficulty or inability to a sleep is called Insomnia. It can be caused due to anxiety, depression, stress, jet lag, health condition, medications taken, or even amount of coffee drunk by the person.
Bruxism – It is crenching or grinding teeth while sleeping. It is one of the biggest sleeping problem as it cannot be controlled. It can be caused due to stress.
Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome (DSPS) – It is a disorder when a person finds difficulty in awakening at desirable time.
Hypopnea Syndrome – It is a disorder in which a person stops breathing during sleep. It is also known as Obstructive Sleep Apnea Hypopnea (OSAH). This problem can cause obesity, health problems, loud snoring etc.
Narcolepsy – It is a disorder in which a person may have sleep attacks at any time, day or night. It can cause excessive daytime sleep, even when a person has adequate sleep at night.
Cataplexy – It is a condition in which the motor muscles of body become very weak and are unable to maintain body’s stability resulting in collapse. It is a very rare condition.
Night Terror - It is a parasomnia disorder when a person awakes quickly during sleep due to fear. It is not caused due to bad dreams. It affects the brain.
Parasomnias - These are disruptive sleep related disorders which include abnormal and unnatural movements, behaviors, emotions, perceptions, and dreams while sleeping. For example: sleep walking, night terrors etc.
Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD) – It was previously known as nocturnal myoclonus. It is a condition in which there is an involuntary movement of arms and legs.
Rapid Eye Movement Behavior Disorder (RBD) – It is a condition which involves abnormal behavior of a person while sleeping. For example: Acting violent, shouting etc.
Restless Legs Syndrome (RSD) – It is a neurological disorder, also known as Willis-Ekbom disease that affects the movement of legs. It can cause leg pain, creeping, crawling, itching, etc.
Sleep Apnea – It is a disorder that involves abnormal pauses in breathing during sleep. It’s one of the most common type of Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
Sleep Paralysis – It is a problem that may occur in healthy persons which makes him/her unable to perform voluntary movements shortly before or after sleep.
Sleepwalking – It is also known as Somnambulism. It is a disorder in which a person walks or does any other activity without conscious knowledge of the same.
Nocturia – It is a condition in which a person wakes up more than once during the night to urinate.
Somniphobia – It is an abnormal fear of sleep.

Although there are about 70 different sleep disorders, I have explained only few which are most common. These disorders affect the body badly. They should be treated as soon as possible. For our readers, I’ve listed below some clinical trials investigation new treatments for sleep disorders.