Sleep Disorders With the most active sleep disorders program in the Chicago area, the University of Chicago Hospitals have been a long-time leader in research and treatment of sleep disorders. Also in the 1950s, researchers here first identified narcolepsy, a rare disorder of excessive sleep. More recently, University of Chicago researchers established the relationship between narcolepsy and the immune system an important step toward effective treatment of this condition. Our need for sleep and normal sleeping patterns change as we age.
Older adults experience less delta sleep and generally require fewer hours of sleep overall.
There are many different types of sleep disorders that can affect children and adults of all ages and interfere with normal functioning. Disturbed sleep can be a periodic annoyance, or can be chronic and disabling. In fact, researchers are finding that sleep disorders can contribute to medical or emotional problems. For example, sleep apnea has been linked to hypertension and other cardiac disease. It is important to understand the precise nature of the sleep problem so it can be treated.