1.Sleep disorders are the disorders in sleep pattern. Sleep is a complex neurological state. Its primary function is rest and restoring the body's energy levels.

Repeated interruption of sleep by breathing abnormalities such as cessation of breathing (apnea) or heavy snoring, leads to fragmented sleep and abnormal oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the blood.

Sleep consists of a rhythmic combination of changes in physiological, biochemical, neurophysiological and psychological processes. When the rhythm is disturbed or the individual processes are abnormal during sleep, a variety of sleep disorder may result.

2.Common causes of sleep disorders Changes in life style, such as shift work change (SWC), can contribute to sleep disorders.

Other problems that can affect sleep:

Back pain Chronic pain Sciatica Neck problems Environmental noise Incontinence Babies that wake frequently Various drugs - Many drugs can affect the ratio of the various stages of sleep, thus affecting the overall quality of sleep. Poor sleep can lead to accumulation of Sleep debt. Endocrine imbalance mainly due to Cortisol but not limited to this hormone. Hormone changes due to impending menstruation or during the menopause transition years. Chrobiological disorders, mainly Circadian rythm disorders

3.Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that occurs when a persons breathing is interrupted during sleep. People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times during the night.

Sleep apnea is a true breathing obstruction, which requires the sleeper to awaken to begin breathing again. A person with sleep apnea wakes up many times a night to regain breathing, but usually remembers nothing at all about the awakenings.

I realize that this is mostly a sleep apnea group. I suffer from REM sleep behavior disorder. This is when normal sleep paralysis does not occur. My GP prescribed .25mg Klonopin. I think it stopped the disorder but the medicine is worse than the disorder. I can not live with the side effects. Any recommendations on type of specialist to see? Any sort of tests to ask for? Anyone else have successful treatment?

Answer:

The surprise reveal was PLMD. I had no idea as my sheets aren't even wrinkled in the morning! It also showed I got no stage 3 or 4 sleep probably because of the PLMD...something like 17 wake-ups per hour. I knew I wasn't getting a good night's sleep but I thought it was due to fibromyalgia. For me, the PSG was the most useful test I've had in the past decade. It also showed no apnea but that wasn't a surprise!

Sounds like you and Klonopin aren't meant for each other. I'm extremely drug sensitive so know what you're going thru. I worked up to the .5mg dosage. I like that it doesn't cause that sleepy hangover the next day but, as I mentioned, it did cause depression which stopped once I stopped taking it nightly. Sometimes, after taking a drug for a few weeks, the side effects diminish or go away. I don't have time to lose weeks of work to find out! Everyone reacts differently. I hope you find a solution.