Sleep disorders are conditions that cause an individual to experience poor quality or a lack of sleep. These disorders include insomnia, narcolepsy, sleep apnea and restless legs syndrome.
Insomnia is a condition characterized by difficulty falling or staying asleep, causing fatigue and sleepiness. Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder that prevents the brain from distinguishing sleep-wake cycles. This causes an individual to have urges to sleep throughout the day. When a narcoleptic person submits to the urge, he/she can fall asleep for seconds or minutes at a time.
Sleep Apnea is a chronic condition characterized by periods of shallow breathing or pauses in breath during sleep. Sleep Apnea is categorized as either obstructive or central. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the airway collapses or is blocked during sleep. Central sleep apnea is a neurological condition in which the brain doesn't send the proper signals to the breathing muscles. People with Restless Legs Syndrome experience unpleasant creeping or tingling sensations and discomfort in the legs while lying down.
Below you will find alternative and natural treatment options including those from a Chinese Medicine perspective for sleep disorders.