Sleep Disorder Categories

Did you know there are more than 70 different sleep disorders. Most of these conditions can be generally classified into one of three categories:

lack of sleep (e.g., insomnia),
disturbed sleep (e.g., obstructive sleep apnea), and
excessive sleep (e.g., narcolepsy)

In most cases, sleep disorders can be easily managed once they are properly diagnosed. Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder. It occurs more often in women and in the elderly. The amount of sleep that a person needs to function normally depends on several factors (e.g., age). Infants sleep most of the day (about 16 hours); teenagers usually need about 9 hours a day; and adults need an average of 7 to 8 hours a day.

For the purposes of this blog my intent is to concentrate on disturbed sleep and the treatments available for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) check out the following reference sites:

http://www.neurologychannel.com/sleepdisorders/index.shtml

http://www.sleepeducation.com/