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Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
Obstructive sleep apnoea is a common sleep disorder in the community with an estimated 4% of the population having the condition to some degree. Periods of apnoea can last up to 90 seconds and may occur several hundred times per night. OSA is the most common medical cause of excessive daytime sleepiness and is more common in men.
Symptoms of OSA include:
Loud, habitual snoring
Sexual problems
Pauses in breathing during sleep
Frequent awakenings
Daytime sleepiness
Nocturnal Angina/Arrhythmias
Irritability/Personality changes
Frequent napping
Obesity Upper airway abnormalities
Morning headaches
Choking/Gasping/snorts during sleep
Hypertension Memory and concentration problems
Non-refreshing sleep/inability to wake up
Daytime fatigue

Diagnosis for Obstructive Sleep Apnea should be made by pertinent history, physical examination, oximetry and polysomnography (overnight sleep study). Most people benefit from appropriate evaluation, treatment and follow-up through a hospital based sleep centre.

Insomnia
In its chronic form, insomnia affects approximately nine percent of the population. It can last for weeks, months, or even years and may be related to the following:
Worry, anxiety or stress
Psychiatric disorders
Primary sleep disorders
Substance abuse
Medical problems

Behavioral/Conditional factors
Those with chronic insomnia may experience reduced productivity and accidents as a result of fatigue. Because insomnia is a symptom, the physician must search for the cause. Over 70 percent of insomnia sufferers sleep better after appropriate evaluation and treatment which may involve referral to a sleep phychologist.

Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a rare condition having a prevalence rate of five per 100,000 population.
Symptoms of narcolepsy include:
Excessive sleepiness
Cataplexy (physical weakness with emotion)
Hypnagogic hallucinations
Sleep paralysis (occurs upon awakening)
Automatic behavior
Low concentration
Occupational/School problems
Symptoms may appear rapidly or develop slowly over the years with diagnosis often made in the late teens into the mid twenties. The cause of Narcolepsy is still unknown but shows strong familial clustering. Diagnosis involves care of an experienced sleep physician, an overnight sleep study, daytime sleep testing with a multiple sleep latency test and in some cases, a genetic marker test. While narcolepsy can not be cured, the symptoms can generally be controlled with medication.

Periodic Limb Movements (PLM)
PLM is characterized by rhythmic jerking of the feet or legs. Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is described as a "creeping, crawling" sensation that creates an urge to move the legs. Its prevalence rate is two to five percent.
Symptoms of PLM and RLS include:
"Creepy" or "jumpy" legs
Unpleasant sensation during sleep
Insomnia/Non-refreshing sleep
Excessive daytime sleepiness
Increased activity
Restless sleep

Treatment for Restless Legs Syndrome and Periodic Limb Movements is highly effective for patients seeking help and treatment often involves both an exercise and medication regimen.

Parasomnia
Parasomnias are uncommon and refer to a wide variety of disruptive, sleep-related events or "disorders of arousal". These arousal disorders include:

Sleep walking
Sleep terrors (pavor nocturnes)
Nightmares
Partial seizures
Violent behavior during sleep
REM behavior disorder (acting out dreams)

Severe cases may lead to injury, violence, excessive eating, or disturbance of others in the bed or the house. In most cases, Parasomnia can be effectively diagnosed and treated.