Common Sleep Disorders
Sleep Apnea
A condition in which a person stops breathing repeatedly throughout the night. This can occur hundreds of times during the night. Usually, this type of disorder is characterized by loud snoring, sudden or frequent arousals from sleep and daytime sleepiness. Often times, people with this disorder are unaware they have it, especially if they sleep alone.
Restless Leg Syndrome
A condition of extreme restlessness or a "crawling" sensation that occurs primarily in the legs when that person is sitting or lying still, while awake, but especially at bedtime.
Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD)
A disorder characterized by involuntary periodic leg movements of "leg jerks" that occur while asleep. This usually effects the legs, but occasionally involves the arms. The cause is unknown.
Insomnia
A person with this symptom is unable to fall asleep or stay asleep. This can be caused by a variety of psychological and physiological conditions including stress, sleep apnea or medications.
Narcolepsy
Sometimes referred to as sleep attacks, narcolepsy is an uncontrollable tendency to fall asleep at inappropriate times. Symptoms include excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy (sudden brief loss of muscle control), sleep paralysis, occuring when the person is just waking up or falling asleep, and dream-like images while awake. These episodes are sometimes brought on by highly emotional situations.
Other Sleep-Related Disorders
These include snoring, night terrors, bedwetting, esophageal reflux, sleepwalking, teeth grinding and nocturnal seizures.
Call the Aultman Sleep Center at 330-305-6976 for information about sleep studies. To make an appointment for your sleep study, call Aultman Central Scheduling at 330-363-6288.
