Sleep disorders and sleep problems
What each condition is, the symptoms to look for, how it is diagnosed and treated, what you can do yourself, and when to see a clinician.
Sleep-related breathing disorders
Obstructive Sleep ApneaYour airway repeatedly narrows or closes during sleep, cutting airflow, dropping oxygen and fragmenting sleep. It is common, underdiagnosed and very treatable.Central Sleep ApneaYour brain briefly stops sending the signal to breathe during sleep. It is often linked to heart failure, stroke, opioid use or high altitude.Treatment-Emergent Central Sleep Apnea (Complex Sleep Apnea)Central breathing pauses that appear when obstructive sleep apnea is treated, most often when starting CPAP. It frequently settles with continued treatment.Snoring (Primary Snoring)Noisy breathing caused by vibrating tissue in a narrowed throat. Primary snoring happens without sleep apnea, but loud snoring should be checked.Upper Airway Resistance SyndromeIncreased effort to breathe through a narrowed airway causes repeated brief awakenings and daytime fatigue, without full apneas or major oxygen drops.Obesity Hypoventilation SyndromeIn some people with obesity, breathing becomes too shallow to clear carbon dioxide, leading to high CO2 levels by day and serious health risks.Pediatric Obstructive Sleep ApneaChildren with sleep apnea often snore, breathe through their mouth and show behaviour or learning problems. Enlarged tonsils and adenoids are a common cause.
Insomnia
Chronic InsomniaTrouble falling asleep, staying asleep or waking too early at least three nights a week for three months or more, with daytime effects. CBT-I is the first-line treatment.Short-Term InsomniaPoor sleep lasting less than three months, usually triggered by stress, illness, travel or a life change. It often settles once the trigger passes.
Excessive sleepiness and hypersomnias
NarcolepsyA chronic brain disorder causing overwhelming daytime sleepiness, sometimes with sudden muscle weakness triggered by emotions (cataplexy).Idiopathic HypersomniaPersistent excessive sleepiness with long, unrefreshing sleep and severe difficulty waking, without the features of narcolepsy.Kleine-Levin SyndromeA rare disorder with recurring episodes of extreme sleepiness lasting days to weeks, with changes in thinking and behaviour, and normal health between episodes.Insufficient Sleep SyndromeDaytime sleepiness caused by regularly not getting enough sleep. It is common, often unrecognised, and resolves when sleep time increases.
Circadian rhythm disorders
Delayed Sleep-Wake Phase DisorderYour body clock runs late, so you cannot fall asleep until well after midnight and struggle to wake in the morning. It is common in teenagers.Advanced Sleep-Wake Phase DisorderYour body clock runs early, making you very sleepy in the early evening and waking you in the small hours. It is more common in older adults.Shift Work DisorderInsomnia and excessive sleepiness caused by working nights, early mornings or rotating shifts that clash with your body clock.Jet LagTemporary sleep and daytime problems after flying across time zones, while your body clock catches up with local time.Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake DisorderThe body clock is not synchronised to the 24-hour day, so sleep times drift later each day. It mainly affects people who are totally blind.
Sleep-related movement disorders
Restless Legs SyndromeAn irresistible urge to move your legs, usually with uncomfortable sensations, that is worse at rest and in the evening and eases with movement.Periodic Limb Movement DisorderRepetitive leg jerks or twitches during sleep that disturb sleep and cause daytime symptoms, often without the person being aware of them.Sleep Bruxism (Teeth Grinding)Clenching or grinding your teeth during sleep, which can cause jaw pain, headaches and dental damage. It is often linked to stress and sleep apnea.Nocturnal Leg CrampsSudden, painful tightening of calf or foot muscles that wakes you from sleep. They are common, especially with age and in pregnancy.Hypnic Jerks (Sleep Starts)Sudden, brief muscle jerks as you drift off to sleep, often with a falling sensation. They are very common and usually harmless.
Parasomnias
SleepwalkingGetting up and walking or doing other activities while still mostly asleep, usually early in the night, with little or no memory afterward.Sleep Terrors (Night Terrors)Sudden episodes of screaming, fear and thrashing early in the night, during which the person is hard to wake and remembers little.Confusional Arousals (Sleep Drunkenness)Waking partially from deep sleep in a confused, disoriented state, with slow responses and little memory of it. Often called sleep drunkenness.Nightmare DisorderFrequent, vivid, distressing dreams that wake you and affect your sleep, mood or daytime functioning. Effective therapies are available.REM Sleep Behavior DisorderActing out vivid, often violent dreams during REM sleep because normal muscle paralysis is lost. It can be an early sign of Parkinson's disease.Sleep ParalysisBeing briefly unable to move or speak while falling asleep or waking up, sometimes with frightening hallucinations. Episodes pass on their own.Sleep TalkingTalking, mumbling or laughing during sleep without being aware of it. It is very common and usually harmless.Exploding Head SyndromeHearing a sudden loud bang or crash as you fall asleep or wake. Despite its alarming name, it is harmless and causes no pain.Bedwetting (Sleep Enuresis)Involuntary urination during sleep in children aged 5 or older. It is common, not the child's fault, and usually improves with time and treatment.
Other sleep problems
Nocturia (Waking at Night to Urinate)Waking up one or more times at night to urinate. Common with age, it fragments sleep and can point to treatable causes, including sleep apnea.Nighttime Acid Reflux (Sleep-Related GERD)Stomach acid flowing back into the oesophagus at night, causing heartburn, coughing or choking that disrupts sleep.
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