Sleep Apnea A breathing disorder characterized by brief interruptions of breathing during sleep. Central sleep apnea, which is less common, occurs when the brain fails to send the appropriate signals to the breathing muscles to initiate respirations. A breathing disorder that occurs when air cannot flow into or out of the person's nose or mouth, although efforts to breathe continue. These breathing pauses are almost always accompanied by snoring between apnea episodes. Sleep apnea can also be accompanied by choking sensations.
Sleep apnea is most common in men and overweight individuals.
Untreated, it is linked to high blood pressure and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Because RLS symptoms tend to worsen during the evening, the sensations and the need to move the affected limb can disturb sleep. Narcolepsy This is a chronic neurological disorder involving the central nervous system. For people with narcolepsy, the messages sent by the brain to other parts of the body about when to sleep and when to be awake arrive in the wrong place at the wrong time.