Sleep disorders: Types and approach to evaluation

Over 70 described sleep disorders disrupt the sleep of an estimated 50-70 million Americans. The disorders present with a broad array of symptoms but result in the individual not getting the health, cognitive, and restorative benefits of a good night's sleep. The disorders have been categorized into the following categories: insomnia, sleep-related breathing disorders, central disorders of hypersomnolence, circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders, parasomnias, and sleep-related movement disorders. This chapter reviews each category and provides details on the symptoms, pathophysiology, and treatment of the most common disorder in each category, including insomnia, obstructive sleep apnoea, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome, and REM sleep behaviour disorder. The presenting complaint is the key to diagnosis, directing subsequent evaluation.