Sleeping disorders are of many types and most of the severe ones are uncommon but a severe one can ruin the physical, mental and psycological health of a person. A sleep disorder is a medical disorder of sleeping inabilities or change in sleeping patterns of an individual. To recognise a particular sleeping disorder among many others a test called POLYSOMNOGRAPHY is conducted.

There are many sleeping disorders –

INSOMNIA – In this disorder the child is unable to get a sleep or suffers from an incomplete sleep problem because of the difficulty in a proper undisturbed sleep.

UNUSUAL OR DELAYED SLEEP TIMINGS – The child suffers a problem in getting a sleep at the socially accepted times and he feels sleepy mostly at an unusual time for others.

HYPOPNIA SYNDROME – In this sleep disorder the child faces a breathing problem like slow and lesser speed of breathing.

INCREASED DURATION OF SLEEPING – In this disorder the child sleeps too much and shows a continuously lethargic behaviour.

SLEEP TERROR DISORDER – sudden awakening of the child because of frightening dreams or other causes are called sleep terror or night terror disorder.

PERIODIC LIMB MOVEMENT DISORDER (PLMD) – Excessive movements in the limbs like jerking hands legs etc.

RAPID EYE MOVEMENT – In this disorder the child shows eye movements as if he is awake while still in sleep. It is also called RAPID EYE MOVEMENT BEHAVIOUR DISORDER(RBD).

SLEEPWALKING – Also known as SOMNAMBULISM, this disorder presents the patient as he is walking or performing actions consciously whilst he is asleep in real.

SLEEP PARALYSIS – If the child gets caught in a temporary paralysis before or after sleeping he is suffering from this disorder. It is not a serious threat untill the problem is of severe order. It is also followed by visual or auditory hallucinations.

SLEEP TALKING –In this disorder the child utters some meaningless words or mumbles abruptly. This is a very common sleep disorder and not to be taken seriously untill the frequency of the problem is high.

CAUSES OF SLEEP DISORDERS – Sleep disorders can occur due to some medical problems or any psychiatric disorders. High anxiety level and fear vanishes the sleep as a calm mind attracts the sleep swiftly than the tensed one. Depression also forces in a condition which ,due to restlessness, results in sleep disorders. Alcohol is also a major reason for sleep disorders. Even taking tea or coffee at the time of sleeping delays sleep.