Types and Treatment of Sleep Disorders - Essay Example

 Apnea during sleep consists of brief periods throughout the night in which breathing stops. People with sleep apnea do not get enough oxygen during sleep. The most common symptoms of sleep apnea include loud snoring, waking up unrefreshed and having trouble staying awake during the day, waking up with headaches, waking up during the night with the sensation of choking, waking up sweating, and frequent trips to the bathroom during the night.

Mild Sleep Apnea is usually treated by some behavioral changes such as losing weight and sleeping on the side. Moderate to severe Sleep Apnea is treated with a C-PAP. As the paper declares Insomnia is not a disorder it is a complaint. There are three basic types of Insomnia - Transient insomnia - lasting for a few nights, Short-term insomnia - two or four weeks of poor sleep, and Chronic insomnia - poor sleep that happens most nights and last a month or longer. One of the most common causes of chronic insomnia is depression.

Other underlying causes include arthritis, kidney disease, heart failure, asthma, sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, Parkinson's disease, and hyperthyroidism.

Narcolepsy is another chronic disorder affecting the brain where the regulation of sleep and wakefulness takes place. People with narcolepsy can fall asleep while at work, talking, or driving a car. These "sleep attacks" can last from 30 seconds to more than 30 minutes. The common symptoms include excessive sleepiness, temporary decrease or loss of muscle control, vivid dream-like images when drifting off to sleep or waking up, and on waking up unable to move or talk for a brief time. Though there is no cure for narcolepsy, the symptoms can be controlled with behavioral and medical therapy. Excessive daytime sleepiness may be treated with stimulant drugs, while cataplexy and other REM-sleep symptoms may be treated with antidepressant medications. Basic lifestyle adjustments such as keeping a good sleep schedule, improving diet, increasing exercise, and avoiding "exciting" situations may also help to reduce the effects of excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy (Sleepnet.com, 1995-2005).

Sleepwalking (Somnambulism) is a series of complex behaviors that are initiated during slow-wave sleep and result in walking during sleep. Drugs such as Benzodiazepines have been proven to be useful in the treatment of this disorder. A small dose of diazepam or lorazepam eliminates the episodes or considerably reduces them (Sleepnet.com, 1995-2005).

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder characterized by uncomfortable, tingly, or creeping sensations in the legs, which create an uncontrollable urge to keep them moving. Symptoms of RLS include irritating sensations in the legs that give an overwhelming urge to walk around and move them, little movements of the toes, feet, or legs that may be visible when at rest, and very restless sleep. Similarly, people with periodic limb movement in sleep (PLMS) experience rhythmic jerking of the feet or legs, which interrupts sleep.  While there is no cure for these disorders, treatment is highly effective – 90% of those treated experience relief of their symptoms through lifestyle changes and medication (Larson, et al. 2005).

Getting enough sleep and sleeping well help to stay healthy. Disturbed sleep may be a sign of emotional or physical disorders. If left untreated, sleep disorders, and the resulting sleep deprivation, will likely interfere with work, driving, and social activities and have negative effects on the physical and mental well-being of an individual.