Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder that can affect anyone at any age, even children. People with untreated sleep apnea will experience breathing pauses repeatedly during their sleep. These breathing pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes, and they may occur 30 times or more per hour. Typically, normal breathing starts again with a loud snort or a choking sound.

There are two types of sleep apnea:

1. 1. Obstructive Sleep Apnea - - This is the most common form of sleep apnea. It happens when there is a blockage of the airway, usually caused by the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapsing during sleep.

2. Central Sleep Apnea - In the case of central sleep apnea, there is nothing blocking the airway, but the brain doesn't send the correct signals to the breathing muscles.

Symptoms: loud snoring, feeling tired after a full night’s rest, morning headaches, waking up with a dry mouth or sore throat, irritability, and attention problems.

Insomnia is a sleep disorder that is characterized by difficulty falling and/or staying asleep. There are two types of insomnia: primary insomnia and secondary insomnia. Primary insomnia is when a person’s insomnia is not directly associated with any other health condition or problem. Secondary insomnia is when a person’s insomnia caused by a health condition, such as asthma, depression, arthritis, cancer, or heart burn.

Symptoms: difficulty falling asleep, awakening during the night, not feeling rested after a full night's sleep, tiredness during the day, difficulty paying attention, tension headaches, and difficulty focusing on tasks or remembering.

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a condition identifiable by unpleasant leg sensations, although it has been known to occur in the arms or other parts of the body as well. The sensations may be described as "itchiness" or a "pins and needles" feeling.

In most cases, the cause of Restless Legs Syndrome is not known. However, nearly half of the people that have RLS also have a family member with the condition.

Symptoms: The sensations begin when resting - particularly when seated or lying in bed. They are usually worse in the evening, and in many cases, they only occur in the evening. Both legs are usually affected at the same time. The sensations can usually be eased briefly by moving, walking, massaging, or stretching the legs.

Periodic Limb Movement Disorder involves repetitive episodes of muscle movements, usually occurring in the legs. The movements are repetitive and rhythmic, occurring about every 20-40 seconds. These episodes usually occur in deep Stage 2 sleep, but if they are severe enough, they can cause you to wake from sleep.

Symptoms: excessive daytime sleepiness, difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep throughout the night, irritability, or general changes in mood.

Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder in which the brain does not properly control sleep-wake cycles. People with narcolepsy experience a frequent and uncontrollable desire for sleep, especially during waking hours, and they may unwillingly fall asleep while in the middle of normal daily activities. Many patients with narcolepsy also experience cataplexy, which is a sudden loss of muscle control. These episodes may be mild, such as a drooping of the eyelids, or as severe as a complete loss of muscle control in the entire body. Despite possibly falling down and being unable to open their eyes in these episodes, people experiencing cataplexy remain conscious. Cataplexy is often brought on by strong emotions such as fear or anger, and may also be triggered by laughter.

Symptoms: excessive daytime sleepiness, mental cloudiness, lack of energy and concentration, memory lapses, depressed mood, extreme exhaustion, feelings of weakness, a loss of voluntary muscle control, hallucinations, and sleep paralysis.