Main Post:
Sleep Disorders
1. Sleep disorders come in two kinds, one related to sleep apnea and the other related to the
failure to stay awake due to stress.
According to the International Classification of sleep disorders, there are seven major categories
of sleep disorders. In an article by Judd & Sateia (2018), classification of sleep disorders are
reviewed. These categories and explanation of categories are as follows:
• Insomnia - Short-term insomnia, chronic insomnia and other insomnia
• Sleep-related breathing disorders - Central sleep apnea syndromes, obstructive sleep apnea,
sleep-related hypoventilation disorders, sleep-related hypoxemia disorder.
• Central disorders of hyper-somnolence - Narcolepsy, idiopathic hypersomnia, Kleine-Levin
syndrome, hypersomnia due to medical disorder, medication or substance or psychiatric
disorder, insufficient sleep syndrome.
• Circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders – chronic recurrent sleep disturbance when conflict
occurs with circadian rhythm.
• Parasomnias – movements, behaviors, emotion, perceptions and dreams occurring during
entry into sleep, within sleep or during arousal from sleep.
• Sleep-related movement disorders – movements that disturb sleep - Restless leg syndrome,
periodic limb movement disorder.
• Other sleep disorders - Central sleep apnea syndromes, obstructive sleep apnea, sleep-
related hypoventilation disorders, sleep-related hypoxemia disorder.
There are many different causes for sleep disorders. Many of these causes are complex and an
individualized approach is indicated.
2. The use of over-the-counter sleep aids should be encouraged over prescription sleep aids as
they are safer and are not habit forming.
This is not always true. THere have been several studies that indicate that benadryl can
become habit forming in the sense that if the patient takes it regularly they are unable to sleep
without it. According to Matheson & Hainer (2017), insomnia is one of the most common
problems patient seek treatment for from a primary care provider (PCP). Many of these patients
