Sleep-Wake Disorders
When sleep-woken disorders first became a topic of interest in the scientific community, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) didn’t include them. This means that many patients with unusual complaints were sent to one medical practitioner or another, often without an understanding of what the problem really was. That can lead to confusion about when to see a psychiatrist. But today, the American Psychiatric Association has included sleep-waking disorders in their list of mental disorders recognized by diagnostic guidelines.
For a long time, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders had little method for classifying these sleep-wake disorders. The intent was to facilitate the differential identification of sleep-wake disorders, as their ubiquity in clinical practice, and therefore to explain when referral to a sleep specialist would be appropriate. In short, the definition of insomnia was very hazy. Today, however, we have much better understanding of exactly which sleep disorders may be involved, how widespread they are, and what treatments they entail.
Sleep-Wake Disorders – now known as Restless Leg Syndrome, Narcolepsy, or Insomnia – may be either a common mental disorder or a more specific type of sleep medicine complication. Common examples of sleep medicine conditions associated with narcolepsy include cataplexy, hypnagogic hallucinations, and sleepwalking. There are many other less well-known sleep-wake disorders, including restless legs syndrome, sleep terrors, periodic limb movement disorder, catalepsy, and multiple sclerosis.
Sleep-Wake Disorders are classified according to their underlying sleep behavior disorder. Sleep-Wake Disorders include non-traumatic forms of Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), which is a common medical condition that involves excessive muscle activity during the time that the body is asleep; obstructive sleep apnea, which is a serious medical condition that involves abnormal pauses or shallow breathing while the sufferer sleeps; and sleeping hyperhidrosis, a sleep disorder that involves excessive sweating. The classification of sleep-wake disorders is further broken down by their relationship to sleep anatomy and physiology.
Sleep-Wake Disorders and Sleep Anatomy – the relationship between sleep Wake Disorders and sleep anatomy and physiology is complex and controversial. Some researchers theorize that sleep apnea results from abnormal tissue expansion caused by nervous system stimulation. Other researchers dispute this claim.
Sleep-Wake Disorders and Sleep Anatomy – the relationship between sleep disorders and sleep anatomy and physiology is complex and controversial. Some researchers theorize that sleep apnea results from abnormal tissue expansion caused by nervous system stimulation. Other researchers dispute this claim. In children, several studies have found that overweight or obese children have sleep disturbances that are related to increased brain activity. Sleep-Wake Disorders and Sleep Anatomy – the relationship between sleep disorders and sleep anatomy and physiology is complex and controversial. Some researchers theorize that sleep apnea results from abnormal tissue expansion caused by nervous system stimulation.
Sleep-Wake Disorders and Sleep Anatomy – the relationship between sleep disorder and sleep anatomy and physiology is complex and controversial. Some researchers theorize that sleep apnea results from abnormal tissue expansion caused by nervous system stimulation. Other researchers dispute this claim. In children, several studies have found that overweight or obese children have sleep disturbances that are related to increased brain activity. Sleep-Wake Disorders and Sleep Anatomy – the relationship between sleep disorder and sleep anatomy and physiology is complex and controversial. Some researchers theorize that sleep apnea results from abnormal tissue expansion caused by nervous system stimulation.
Research on Sleep-Wake Disorders is confusing. Some research indicates that there is only one sleep disorder related to the structure of the brain, while other research indicates that there may be more than one sleep disorder. It is not clear which disorder is that, although some specialists believe that one of them is probably true. Sleep apnea is a complex disorder but one with a possible link to the sleep anatomy and physiology.