Sleep Apnea is the most common sleeping disorder seen in the sleep center. It literally means not breathing. There are multiple forms and severities of this disorder but all forms of this disorder can lead to potentially dangerous complications. Patients with this disorder are rarely aware that they stop breathing during the course of the night and are mostly witnessed by those around them.

Symptoms

• Snoring
• Daytime tiredness or fatigue
• Forgetfulness
• Difficulty Falling asleep
• Morning Headaches
• Personality changes
• Choking, Gasping, or Snorting During My Sleep
• Frequent Urination During the Night

What Could Happen If I Have Sleep Apnea and Don’t Get Treatment?

• Automobile Accidents
• High Blood Pressure 
• Heart Arrhythmias 

Insomnia is defined as a difficulty going to sleep and/or staying asleep or have non-refreshing sleep with daytime sleepiness. There are two major types of insomnia, primary and secondary. Most people have experienced insomnia sometime in their lifetime even if it was only brief time.
The majority of people who have insomnia have secondary insomnia. This type of insomnia can be caused by several different factors some of which are: medications, depression, hormone shifts, stress, mental disorders, sleep apnea, and shift work. Treating this type of insomnia includes finding the underlying cause of your sleeping problem.
Primary insomnia sometimes referred to as “pure insomnia”, can be caused by neurological or genetic conditions and is much harder to treat. A Sleep Medicine Provider will work through the process with you trying to find a solution that best fits your circumstances.

RLS is described as an irresistible urge to move the legs or arms to relieve an uncomfortable sensation.  The sensations you may feel during RLS may include: itching, throbbing, cramping, painful, “antsy”, and “creepy crawly”.  These sensations usually become worse as you start to relax and start to fade away when you begin to move around.

The exact cause of RLS is unknown, it has been associated with certain conditions such as: iron deficiency, varicose veins, sleep apnea, uremia, diabetes, thyroid disease, Parkinson’s disease, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Narcolepsy is defined as excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in which you have extreme fatigue and possibly fall asleep at inappropriate times. At times the urge to fall asleep is so great that you have little to no warning before you drift off. Narcolepsy is not as rare as you think; it affects about 1in 2000 people. Often times the problem goes untreated or undiagnosed.

Narcolepsy is characterized by four main symptoms:

• Cataplexy- this is a sudden but temporary loss of muscle tone usually brought on by strong emotions (laughing, anger, surprise, etc.).
• Hypnogogic / Hypnopompic Hallucinations- these hallucinations are usually bizarre or frightening. They occur at the beginning or the end of sleep and normally last under ten minutes.
• Sleep Paralysis- this is the temporary inability to move or talk at the beginning or end of sleep. Often times people have hallucinations during this time period.
• Automatic Behavior- means that you continue to function (walking, talking, etc.) during sleep episodes; however you have no memory of ever having done or said anything when you awaken.