What are Sleep Disorders and Do You Suffer from One?

This information was reviewed and approved by Sheila Tsai, MD (2/28/2017).

Sleep is an important, often pleasant experience for many people. For some people, lack of restful sleep is a constant and sometimes dangerous problem.

People may have a medical condition known as a sleep disorder. A sleep disorder can worsen existing medical conditions, and it also can lead to new health problems.

At National Jewish Health, doctors believe people with sleep disorders can lead active and full lives. You should be able to:

Participate in activities at work and school without excessive sleepiness
Sleep well through the night
Wake up feeling well rested

Overall management of a sleep disorder depends on your sleep disorder but often include:

Learning more about your sleep disorder
Good sleep habits
Using and understanding sleep devices
Using and understanding medications

Types of sleep disorders include:

Epworth Sleepiness Scale

Are you sleepy all the time? Use the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) to measure your daytime sleepiness. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) is a questionnaire people can take to assess daytime sleepiness.