Sleep is a state of rest in which the eyes are closed, muscles relaxed and mind is unconscious. Sleep disorders are conditions that interfere with or change normal sleep patterns. Disorders affect the timing, quality, and quantity of sleep in such ways that cause distress during the day as well as impair one’s ability to perform to their maximum capacity. These disorders limit the amount of sleep one gets and therefore affect the overall health and quality of life. When the body is deprived of sufficient amount of sleep, the risk of other health problems increase. Some markers or factors associated with sleep disorders include excessive body movement or speech while sleeping, sleeping at odd times or in odd places,  difficulty sleeping, constant sleepiness during the day, abnormal breathing while asleep, and irregular sleep cycle.

Fundamentally, sleep is critical to physical and psychological health in humans. According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), adults need about eight hours of sleep nightly. Since the body works on a 24-hour cycle (circadian rhythm), it helps us know when to sleep. An average person sleeps for one third of the day which adds up to one third of a lifetime. Clearly, sleep is an important part of living and is required to continue living. In general, the body sleeps in two different ways which are expressed in different cycles:

• Rapid Eye Movement (REM): As the name suggests, the eyes move around rapidly in a range of directions in this stage of sleep, but no visual signals or notifications are sent to the brain. This phase of sleep usually begins 90 mins after one falls asleep and is also where dreams happen. The first cycle of REM typically lasts 10 minutes, and becomes longer in subsequent cycles, with the final one lasting up to an hour. REM is a very important sleep phase because it stimulates protein production as well as the areas of the brain that enhance learning. Unlike adults, infants spend up to half of their sleep period in the REM stage.

• Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM): This stage of sleep happens in three phases, and each of these lasts for about 10 minutes. These three stages of NREM happen before the REM. In the first stage which lasts 10 minutes or less, the eyes are closed, but it’s easy to wake up. In the second stage of NREM, sleep is light as the body prepares for deep sleep by reducing both the heart rate and body temperature. In the third and final stage of NREM, the body is in deep sleep and will be difficult to wake. Disruption of sleep at this age would result in disorientation for a few minutes and may require some time to regain consciousness. Tissue growth, bone and muscle building, immune strengthening and repair all occur during the deep stage of NREM sleep.

Most people do not get the required amount of sleep, reporting their sleep quality as poor. About 30% adults sleep less than six hours each night and research shows that over 50 million Americans experience sleep disorders. Sleep helps the brain function properly, so, insufficient sleep or poor-quality sleep causes fatigue, moodiness, poor decision making, low energy, depression, anxiety, irritability, heart diseases, diabetes, and lack of focus. These disorders may also be warning signs for medical or neurological problems, such as congestive heart failure, osteoarthritis, and Parkinson’s disease. Sleep disorders treatable and preventable following accurate and timely diagnosis. They are  classified either by their causes or symptoms, and include:

• Insomnia: Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep throughout the night.
• Sleep apnea: Abnormal patterns in breathing while sleeping
• Narcolepsy: Sudden or excessive sleepiness during the day