According to the National Institute of Health, approximately 70 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders.  The growing awareness of these disorders has led to an upsurge of sleep labs across the country, all of which rely on specialized equipment to properly diagnose and treat each patient.  Sleep disorders are a growing problem for the American public and can disrupt one’s relationships, job performance, and general health.  The goal of every sleep center is to properly identify, diagnose, and treat one of over 84 different classifications of sleep disorders by performing a polysomnogram.  A polysomnogram requires state-of-the-art technology to properly monitor the patient’s eye movement, brain waves, muscle activity, breathing patterns, body position, and heartbeat. 

Here are some common Sleep Disorders:

• Primary insomnia: Chronic difficulty in falling asleep and/or maintaining sleep when no other cause is found for these symptoms.

• Bruxism: Involuntarily grinding or clenching of the teeth while sleeping

• Delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS): inability to awaken and fall asleep at socially acceptable times but no problem with sleep maintenance, a disorder of circadian rhythms. Other such disorders are advanced sleep phase syndrome (ASPS) and Non-24-hour sleep-wake syndrome (Non-24), both much less common than DSPS.

• Hypopnea syndrome: Abnormally shallow breathing or slow respiratory rate while sleeping

• Narcolepsy: Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) often culminating in falling asleep spontaneously but unwillingly at inappropriate times.

• Cataplexy, a sudden weakness in the motor muscles that can result in collapse to the floor.

• Night terror, Pavor nocturnus, sleep terror disorder: abrupt awakening from sleep with behavior consistent with terror

• Parasomnias: Disruptive sleep-related events involving inappropriate actions during sleep stages - sleep walking and night-terrors are examples.

• Periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD): Sudden involuntary movement of arms and/or legs during sleep, for example kicking the legs. Also known as nocturnal myoclonus. See also Hypnic jerk, which is not a disorder.

• Rapid eye movement behavior disorder (RBD): Acting out violent or dramatic dreams while in REM sleep

• Restless legs syndrome (RLS): An irresistible urge to move legs. RLS sufferers often also have PLMD.

• Situational circadian rhythm sleep disorders: shift work sleep disorder (SWSD) and jet lag

• Obstructive sleep apnea: Obstruction of the airway during sleep, causing lack of sufficient deep sleep; often accompanied by snoring. Other forms of sleep apnea are less common.

• Sleep paralysis is characterized by temporary paralysis of the body shortly before or after sleep. Sleep paralysis may be accompanied by visual, auditory or tactile hallucinations. Not a disorder unless severe. Often seen as part of Narcolepsy.

• Sleepwalking or somnambulism: Engaging in activities that are normally associated with wakefulness (such as eating or dressing), which may include walking, without the conscious knowledge of the subject.

• Nocturia: A frequent need to get up and go to the bathroom to urinate at night. It differs from Enuresis, or bed-wetting, in which the person does not arouse from sleep, but the bladder nevertheless empties.