Principal symptom: Recurrent intense need for sleep, lapses into sleep, or napping
Also accompanied by at least one:
Cataplexy
Hypocretin deficiency
Going into REM sleep abnormally fast (<15 min), as evidenced by polysomnographic measures
It’s a rare condition
Affects about .03% to .16% of the population
Equally distributed between males and females
Onset during adolescence
Typically improves over time
Include three different disorders previously classified as parts of the same disorder:
Obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea
Airflow stops, but respiratory system works
Central sleep apnea (CSA)
Respiratory systems stops for brief periods
Sleep-related hypoventilation: Decreased breathing during sleep not better explained by another sleep disorder
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs in 10 to 20% of population
More common in males
Associated with obesity and increasing age
Persons are usually minimally aware of apnea problem
Often snore, sweat during sleep, wake frequently
May have morning headaches
May experience episodes of falling asleep during the day (due to poor sleep quality at night)
Narcolepsy and Breathing Related Sleep Disorders