Sleep disorders, which interfere with getting a restful night’s sleep, affect some 70 million Americans. While sleep disorders are not considered mental health problems per se, they can exacerbate the symptoms of other forms of psychological distress and can make coping with other forms of distress harder. This section provides information on the more common sleep disorders such as insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and restless legs syndrome, as well as a brief article on hypersomnia.
Do you ever feel sleepy or “zone out” during the day? Do you find it hard to wake up on Monday mornings? If so, you are familiar with the powerful need for sleep. However, you may not realize that sleep is as essential for your well-being as food and water.
The first portion of our fact sheet expands on the information available about narcolepsy in the separate document on brain basics (see “Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep”), focusing on symptoms and causes of narcolepsy. The latter part covers diagnosis, treatment, and coping strategies.
These tips for a good night’s sleep come from the National Sleep Foundation and were originally included as part of the separate overview document on understanding sleep. (See “Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep”.)
