Sleep disordersDysomnias are characterized by the quantity, quality and/or timing of sleep. The five specific types of dyssomnias are: primary insomnia, primary hypersomnia, narcolepsy, breathing-related sleep disorder, and circadian sleep-wake rhythm disorder. People with insomnia have difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or achieving restful sleep for a month or more. Sleep disorders cause levels of personal distress and difficulty in carrying out usual social, occupational and other roles. There is a link between insomnia and other psychological problems such as anxiety and depression. Insomnia is the most common form of sleep disorder although the prevalence is not known. People who suffer from insomnia have a tendency to carry their anxieties and worries with them, which increases their bodily arousal to a level that prevents natural sleep. Individuals with hypersomnia have a pattern of excessive sleepiness during the day that continues for a month or more. Hypersomnia makes it difficult to wake up after a prolonged period of sleep and can cause daytime sleep episodes that occur daily. Even though the person may take naps during the day, they will not feel rested when they wake up. This disorder is considered primary because it cannot be explained by an inadequate amount of sleep due to insomnia, psychological or physiological disorders, drug/medication use, and other factors such as noisy neighbors. A person with primary hypersomnia has had more persistent and severe periods of sleepiness that lead to difficulties in daily functioning. People with narcolepsy experience sleep attacks in which they suddenly fall asleep without warning throughout the day. The person remains asleep for about fifteen minutes and can converse one moment and sleep soundly the next. This diagnosis is made when sleep attacks occur daily for three months or more and is combined with conditions such as: cataplexy, rapid eye movement sleep intrusions, and hypocretin deficiency. People with narcolepsy may also experience sleep paralysis, which is a temporary state after waking up in which the person feels unable to move or speak. The person may also experience terrifying hallucinations called hypnagogic hallucinations. Individuals with breathing-related sleep disorders experience frequent interruptions during sleep due to breathing problems. These disorders eventually cause insomnia and daytime sleepiness. Frequent interruptions during sleep will cause the individual to sleep a lot the next day, which makes it difficult to function. People with this disorder breathe heavily during sleep many times and are not aware of it. Breathing-related sleep disorders can also cause high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, and even sudden death. Circadian sleep-wake rhythm disorder is characterized by a disruption of sleep due to a mismatch in sleep schedules between the body's internal sleep-wake cycle. Disruptions in sleep patterns can lead to insomnia and hypersomnia. Frequent changes in time zones and work shifts may cause more persistent problems to adjust the sleep rhythm schedule which will cause disturbance of the circadian sleep-wake rhythm. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Parasomnias are abnormal behaviors or physiological events that occur during sleep or on the threshold between wakefulness and sleep. The most common parasomnias include nightmare disorder, terror disorder.