Elmhurst Memorial Sleep Center: Common Sleep Conditions
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, more than 70 million people in the United States have a sleep condition — and most are unaware that they have a problem.
A condition that disrupts the normal pattern of sleep and wakefulness can leave you feeling tired, fatigued, irritable and depressed during the day. These symptoms can affect your memory and concentration while reducing your productivity and leaving you more prone to accidents. If left untreated, some sleep conditions can increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.
There are more than 81 recognized sleep conditions. Some of the more common ones include:
Sleep apnea is a condition that causes a person to stop breathing while sleeping. For some, breathing can stop hundreds of times throughout a night. Symptoms include snoring, morning headaches and daytime exhaustion. If left untreated, sleep apnea leads to a greater risk of hypertension, myocardial infarction and stroke.
As many as 35 percent of Americans experience an occasional bad night of sleep, while approximately 10 percent have a chronic problem with insomnia. Defined as difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, symptoms of insomnia include an inability to pay attention during the day, loss of memory or concentration, irritability and anxiety.
Restless Leg Syndrome
People suffering from Restless Leg Syndrome experience an uncontrollable urge to relieve unpleasant sensations in their legs through stretching and other movements. Ironically, lying down and trying to relax activates the symptoms. With proper treatment, the condition can be controlled, allowing people to sleep soundly.
The most common symptom of narcolepsy is excessive daytime sleepiness, even after an adequate amount of sleep. The condition causes people to become drowsy or fall asleep, often at inappropriate times and places. Irresistible daytime sleep attacks may repeatedly occur, with or without warning, and last for prolonged periods of time. In addition, sleep may be fragmented with frequent interruptions.