There are a considerable number of sites that list and discuss sleep disorders. While many of these are medical sites, some are organizations with facilities dedicated to their diagnosis and treatment. There are also a vast number of blogs and discussion boards, many of which provide informational as well as emotional support.
The following three websites, or web portals, as they link to other sites of interest, will hopefully provide a place to begin exploring these prevalent conditions. Whether your primary concern is to be better informed because you work with or are otherwise involved with someone who suffers from one or more sleep disorders, or if you are interested in gaining insight into your own sleep disturbances, these sites provide a few places to begin the process.
WebMD: Better information, Better health
This recognized medical site’s section, “An Overview of Insomnia”, defines “insomnia” as a “sleep disorder that is characterized by difficulty falling and/or staying asleep.” While this seems to be an overly simple definition, it represents a complex set of factors that affect an individual’s inability to fall and stay asleep.
According to this article, an individual could be affected by either primary or secondary insomnia. The difference between these two types pertains to whether or not insomnia arises from a health condition. Types of health conditions that may cause insomnia include “asthma, depression, arthritis, cancer, or heartburn,” as well as medication or other substances.
Primary and secondary insomnia is then categorized into “Acute vs. Chronic Insomnia”. The difference between these two types pertains to the length of time an individual experiences sleep difficulties. The former “can last from one night to a few weeks,” while the latter may occur “at least three nights a week for a month or longer.”
There are multiple causes for both acute and chronic insomnia, which include life stress, depression, anxiety, and so forth. The degree to which an individual experiences these will of course vary.
The Sleep Medicine Home Page
While this site was last updated in June 2008, it appears that these links are still in working order. According to the introduction, the site provides “resources regarding all aspects of sleep including, the physiology of sleep, clinical sleep medicine, sleep research, federal and state information, patient information, and business-related groups.” There is also a list of sleep centers located in the United States and abroad as well as links to obtain tips such as those provided by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
The National Sleep Foundation: Waking America to the Importance of Sleep
In addition to a wealth of services and related information, this site provides approximately twenty-three entries under the categorical heading of “Sleep Disorders”, which define and discuss various aspects of this complex topic. These include “extreme sleepiness”, “Nightmares and Sleep”, “Pain and Sleep: What is Fibromyalgia?”, “REM Behavior Disorder and Sleep”, “Sleep Talking”, and “Sleep Walking”.
In 2011, March 7-13, The National Sleep Foundation will be promoting National Sleep Awareness Week®. Be sure to visit their website at sleepfoundation.org for more details and to learn how you can participate.
In closing, while the sites above do contain medical terminology, they are primarily written in layperson's terms and invite contact and comments.
Work Cited:
The National Sleep Foundation: Waking America to the Importance of Sleep. “Sleep Disorders.” Sleepfoundation.org. Web. 25 Aug. 2010.
The Sleep Medicine Home Page. Resource List. http://www.users.cloud9.net/~thorpy/#sleephome. June 2008. Web. 25 Aug. 2010.
WebMD: Better information. Better health. “An Overview of Insomnia.” Webmd.com. Web. 25 Aug. 2010.
Terrie Leigh Relf - Terrie Leigh Relf has a B.A. in Buddhist and Western Psychology from Naropa University in Boulder, CO, and an M.A. in Rhetoric and Writing ...
