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Sleep Disorders

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Sleep Disorders

Education is essential to truly understanding Sleep Disorders. You may find the following books, websites, and information helpful for you, but because they have not been especially recommended for you or your child by Dr. Goldman please do not consider them medical advice.

Sleep Disorders Resources

Books on Sleep Disorders:

  • The Harvard Medical School Guide to a Good Night’s Sleep by Lawrence Epstein and Steven Mardon
  • The Cleveland Clinic Guide to Sleep Disorders [Paperback] by Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer
  • Sleep Disorders for Dummies [Paperback] by Max Hirshkowitz, Patricia B. Smith, William C. Dement
  • No More Sleepless Nights by Peter Hauri, PhD and Shirley Linde, PhD
  • No More Sleepless Nights Workbook by Peter Hauri, PhD and Shirley Linde, PhD

Most of these books are available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble or at The Special Needs Project websites or call the Special Needs Project at (800) 333-6867.

Online Support and Information:

Emotional and social support is often healing. I recommend that you consider going to a local support group or join an online support group such as:

The most common sleep disorders include:

  • Primary insomnia: Chronic difficulty in falling asleep and/or maintaining sleep when no other cause is found for these symptoms.
  • Bruxism: Involuntarily grinding or clenching of the teeth while sleeping.
  • Delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS): inability to awaken and fall asleep at socially acceptable times but no problem with sleep maintenance, a disorder of circadian rhythms. (Other such disorders are advanced sleep phase syndrome (ASPS), non-24-hour sleep-wake syndrome (Non-24), and irregular sleep wake rhythm, all much less common than DSPS, as well as the transient jet lag and shift work sleep disorder.)
  • Hypopnea syndrome: Abnormally shallow breathing or slow respiratory rate while sleeping.
  • Narcolepsy: Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) often culminating in falling asleep spontaneously but unwillingly at inappropriate times.
  • Cataplexy: a sudden weakness in the motor muscles that can result in collapse to the floor.
  • Night terror: Pavor nocturnus, sleep terror disorder: abrupt awakening from sleep with behavior consistent with terror.
  • Parasomnias: Disruptive sleep-related events involving inappropriate actions during sleep; sleep walking and night-terrors are examples.
  • Periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD): Sudden involuntary movement of arms and/or legs during sleep, for example kicking the legs. Also known as nocturnal myoclonus. See also Hypnic jerk, which is not a disorder
  • Rapid eye movement behavior disorder (RBD): Acting out violent or dramatic dreams while in REM sleep.
  • Restless legs syndrome (RLS): An irresistible urge to move legs. RLS sufferers often also have PLMD.
  • Situational circadian rhythm sleep disorders: shift work sleep disorder (SWSD) and jet lag.
  • Sleep Apnea, and mostly Obstructive sleep apnea: Obstruction of the airway during sleep, causing lack of sufficient deep sleep; often accompanied by snoring. Other forms of sleep apnea are less common.
  • Sleep paralysis: is characterized by temporary paralysis of the body shortly before or after sleep. Sleep paralysis may be accompanied by visual, auditory or tactile hallucinations. Not a disorder unless severe. Often seen as part of Narcolepsy.
  • Sleepwalking or somnambulism: Engaging in activities that are normally associated with wakefulness (such as eating or dressing), which may include walking, without the conscious knowledge of the subject.
  • Nocturia: A frequent need to get up and go to the bathroom to urinate at night. It differs from Enuresis, or bed-wetting, in which the person does not arouse from sleep, but the bladder nevertheless empties
  • Somniphobia: a dread of sleep.