Dyssomnia
Encyclopedia
Dyssomnias are a broad classification of sleeping disorders
that make it difficult to get to sleep, or to remain sleeping.
Dyssomnias are primary disorders of initiating or maintaining sleep or of excessive sleepiness and are characterized by a disturbance in the amount, quality, or timing of sleep.
Patients may complain of difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep, intermittent wakefulness during the night, early morning awakening, or combinations of any of these. Transient episodes are usually of little significance. Stress, caffeine, physical discomfort, daytime napping, and early bedtimes are common factors.
and bright light therapy
for circadian rhythm
disorders. Specialists in sleep medicine
are trained to diagnose and treat these disorders.
Sleep disorder
A sleep disorder, or somnipathy, is a medical disorder of the sleep patterns of a person or animal. Some sleep disorders are serious enough to interfere with normal physical, mental and emotional functioning...
that make it difficult to get to sleep, or to remain sleeping.
Dyssomnias are primary disorders of initiating or maintaining sleep or of excessive sleepiness and are characterized by a disturbance in the amount, quality, or timing of sleep.
Patients may complain of difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep, intermittent wakefulness during the night, early morning awakening, or combinations of any of these. Transient episodes are usually of little significance. Stress, caffeine, physical discomfort, daytime napping, and early bedtimes are common factors.
Major types of dyssomnias
There are over 30 recognized kinds of dyssomnias. Major groups of dyssomnias include:- Intrinsic sleep disorders – 12 disorders recognized, including
- hypersomniaHypersomniaHypersomnia is a disorder characterized by excessive amounts of sleepiness.There are two main categories of hypersomnia: primary hypersomnia and recurrent hypersomnia...
, - narcolepsyNarcolepsyNarcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder, or dyssomnia, characterized by excessive sleepiness and sleep attacks at inappropriate times, such as while at work. People with narcolepsy often experience disturbed nocturnal sleep and an abnormal daytime sleep pattern, which often is confused with insomnia...
, - periodic limb movement disorder,
- restless legs syndromeRestless legs syndromeRestless legs syndrome or Willis-Ekbom disease is a neurological disorder characterized by an irresistible urge to move one's body to stop uncomfortable or odd sensations. It most commonly affects the legs, but can affect the arms, torso, and even phantom limbs...
, - sleep apneaSleep apneaSleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by abnormal pauses in breathing or instances of abnormally low breathing, during sleep. Each pause in breathing, called an apnea, can last from a few seconds to minutes, and may occur 5 to 30 times or more an hour. Similarly, each abnormally low...
, - sleep state misperceptionSleep state misperceptionSleep state misperception is a term in the International Classification of Sleep Disorders most commonly used for people who mistakenly perceive their sleep as wakefulness, though it has been proposed that it be applied to those who severely overestimate their sleep time as well...
.
- hypersomnia
- Extrinsic sleep disorders – 13 disorders recognized, including
- alcohol-dependentAlcoholismAlcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
sleep disorder, - food allergyFood allergyA food allergy is an adverse immune response to a food protein. They are distinct from other adverse responses to food, such as food intolerance, pharmacological reactions, and toxin-mediated reactions....
insomniaInsomniaInsomnia is most often defined by an individual's report of sleeping difficulties. While the term is sometimes used in sleep literature to describe a disorder demonstrated by polysomnographic evidence of disturbed sleep, insomnia is often defined as a positive response to either of two questions:...
, - inadequate sleep routine.
- alcohol-dependent
- Circadian rhythm sleep disorderCircadian rhythm sleep disorderCircadian rhythm sleep disorders are a family of sleep disorders affecting, among other things, the timing of sleep. People with circadian rhythm sleep disorders are unable to sleep and wake at the times required for normal work, school, and social needs. They are generally able to get enough sleep...
s, both intrinsic and extrinsic – 6 disorders recognized, including- advanced sleep phase syndromeAdvanced sleep phase syndromeAdvanced sleep phase syndrome , also known as the advanced sleep-phase type of circadian rhythm sleep disorder, is a condition in which patients feel very sleepy and go to bed early in the evening and wake up very early in the morning Advanced sleep phase syndrome (ASPS), also known as the...
, - delayed sleep phase syndromeDelayed sleep phase syndromeDelayed sleep-phase syndrome , also known as delayed sleep-phase disorder or delayed sleep-phase type , is a circadian rhythm sleep disorder, a chronic disorder of the timing of sleep, peak period of alertness, the core body temperature rhythm, hormonal and other daily rhythms, compared to the...
, - jetlag,
- shift work sleep disorderShift work sleep disorderShift work sleep disorder is a circadian rhythm sleep disorder characterized by insomnia and excessive sleepiness affecting people whose work hours are scheduled during the typical sleep period...
.
- advanced sleep phase syndrome
Treatment
In general, there are two broad classes of treatment, and the two may be combined: psychological (cognitive-behavioral) and pharmacological. In situations of acute distress, such as a grief reaction, pharmacologic measures may be most appropriate. With primary insomnia, however, initial efforts should be psychologically based. Other specific treatments are appropriate for some of the disorders, such as ingestion of the hormone melatoninMelatonin
Melatonin , also known chemically as N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine, is a naturally occurring compound found in animals, plants, and microbes...
and bright light therapy
Light therapy
Light therapy or phototherapy consists of exposure to daylight or to specific wavelengths of light using lasers, light-emitting diodes, fluorescent lamps, dichroic lamps or very bright, full-spectrum light, usually controlled with various devices...
for circadian rhythm
Circadian rhythm
A circadian rhythm, popularly referred to as body clock, is an endogenously driven , roughly 24-hour cycle in biochemical, physiological, or behavioural processes. Circadian rhythms have been widely observed in plants, animals, fungi and cyanobacteria...
disorders. Specialists in sleep medicine
Sleep medicine
Sleep medicine is a medical specialty or subspecialty devoted to the diagnosis and therapy of sleep disturbances and disorders. From the middle of the 20th century, research has provided increasing knowledge and answered many questions about sleep-wake functioning. The rapidly evolving field has...
are trained to diagnose and treat these disorders.
See also
- SomnolenceSomnolenceSomnolence is a state of near-sleep, a strong desire for sleep, or sleeping for unusually long periods . It has two distinct meanings, referring both to the usual state preceding falling asleep, and the chronic condition referring to being in that state independent of a circadian rhythm...
- ParasomniaParasomniaFor the 2008 horror film, see Parasomnia Parasomnias are a category of sleep disorders that involve abnormal and unnatural movements, behaviors, emotions, perceptions, and dreams that occur while falling asleep, sleeping, between sleep stages, or during arousal from sleep...
- DyskoimesisDyskoimesisDyskoimesis is defined as difficulties in falling asleep. It is a kind of dyssomnia.Reference*http://www.thefreelibrary.com/A+combination+of+valerian+and+lemon+balm+is+effective+in+the...-a0148656185...