Sleep disorder

A sleep disorder is a condition that frequently impacts your ability to get enough quality sleep. Sleep disorders can be due to a variety of reasons like stress, health problems, or a busy schedule. Chronic sleep problems can significantly affect your quality of life, and may also lead to additional health complications.

Common types of sleep disorders include:

1. Insomnia: This is characterized by difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. It can be caused by stress, anxiety, depression, a poor sleep environment, or certain medications.
2. Sleep Apnea: This is a serious disorder where the person’s breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. This can lead to daytime fatigue, high blood pressure, and other health issues.
3. Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS): RLS is a neurological disorder that creates an uncontrollable urge to move your legs, often leading to interrupted sleep.
4. Narcolepsy: This is a neurological disorder that affects a person’s ability to control their sleep-wake cycles, leading to sudden bouts of sleep during the daytime.
5. Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders: These occur when your sleep-wake pattern is out of sync with your biological clock.
6. Parasomnias: These include disruptive sleep events like nightmares, night terrors, sleepwalking, and talking during sleep.

Source | Author Doctor Nikas Samuolis, reviewed by Prof. Virginijus Šapoka | Vilnius University | Faculty of Medicine | Head of the Department of Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, and Oncology