Sleep Basics (How To Get a Good Night's Sleep): Sleep is defined as a state of unconsciousness from which a person can be aroused. In this state, the brain is relatively more responsive to internal stimuli than external stimuli. Sleep deprivation has many deleterious effects on the body. Sleep apnea and sleep paralysis are two common kinds of sleep disorders. Several activities can help one to fall asleep fast.

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Bedwetting

Bedwetting (nocturnal enuresis) is the involuntary passage of urine while sleeping. Causes of bedwetting include urinary tract infection, diabetes, emotional problems, neurological problems, pinworm infection, and excessive fluid intake. Treatment may incorporate moisture detectors, medication, and surgery.
Disorders That Disrupt Sleep (Parasomnias)

Parasomnias are sleep problems that significantly disrupt the lives of those who suffer them. Parasomnias include speech and movements during sleep, sleep walking, night terrors, sleep paralysis , and abnomalities in the natural stages of sleep, among other problems. These problems are diagnosed through polysomnography (sleep testing), and can be treated with a combination of medications, sleep hygiene depending on the particular disorder.
Insomnia

Insomnia affects most people at some point in their lifetime. Insomnia is actually a symptom of a condition, disease, or situation. Non-medical treatment of insomnia includes: sleep hygiene, relaxation therapy, stimulus control, and sleep restriction. There are many medications that can be prescribed to a person with insomnia.
Understanding Insomnia Medications

Insomnia is a common problem for many people. Insomnia can be primary or secondary. Secondary causes of insomnia include medications, diseases, environmental factors, and pregnancy. Non-drug, home remedies, and OTC and prescription drugs that treat insomnia include: Sleeping pills Melatonin Sleep hygiene education Biofeedback Relaxation therapy Common side effects of sleeping pills include: Impaired coordination, balance, or mental alertness Depression Suicidal thoughts
Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder that causes the sufferer to fall asleep or experience extreme exhaustion during the day or at inappropriate times. The treatment involves a variety of different classes of medication, depending on the patient.
Night Terrors

Night terrors comprise a sleep disorder distinctly different from nightmares, which are normal and happen during REM sleep. Intense fear and/or crying over multiple episodes during sleep characterize night terrors, which usually occur in children. Rarely, tricyclic antidepressants are prescribed in severe cases, but the disorder usually is not harmful and resolves itself.
Nightmares

Nightmares occur from time to time in many children, but they are most common in preschoolers (children aged 3 to 6 years) because this is the age at which normal fears develop. Practicing good sleep hygiene and other strategies can help eliminate nightmares.
Primary Insomnia

Primary insomnia is sleeplessness that cannot be attributed to a medical, psychiatric, or environmental cause (such as drug abuse or medications). Symptoms of primary insomnia include: Difficulty falling asleep Frequently awakening during the night Atypical reactions to sleep medications Tense Treatment may include lifestyle changes, therapy, medication, or a combination of these.
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep disorders caus disruption in the REM stage of sleep. In such disorders, the REM is deficient or absent, along with the normal paralysis that goes with it. This allows the sufferer to act out his dreams, often causing injury. REM sleep disorder can be a side effect of medication or a symptom of a serious neurological disease. Clonazepam and tricyclic antidepressants have proved effective in treating REM sleep disorders.
Sleep and Sleep Disorders in Children

Sleep and sleep disorders may be affected by a variety of factors. Learn about the different types of sleep disorders as well as symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment.
Obstructive and Central Sleep Apnea

There are two types of sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea (the most common type) and central sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can be caused by many factors such as strokes, heart failure, medications, or physical structures in the throat and mouth. Treatment range from medical devices to surgery.
Sleep Disorders and Aging

Sleep problems are common among people as they age. People tend to sleep less in later years, but other sleep issues can be caused by a variety of medical symptoms and drug side effects. Daytime sleepiness and fatigue and reduce the quality of life for senior citizens. Medications and sleep hygeine, or a combination of the two, can help.
Sleep Disorders in Women

Sleep disorders affect both men and women, but suffer these problems at double the rate of men. Psychosocial stress, hormonal changes, illness, and lifestyle factors can all affect sleep in women. Medications may be used to help women get to sleep, but losing weight, avoiding caffeine, getting plenty of exercise and overall good sleep hygiene can help in many cases.
Sleeplessness and Circadian Rhythm Disorder

A person's circadian rhythm is an internal biological clock that regulates a variety of biological processes according to an approximate 24-hour period. A disorder of the circadian rhythm may cause sleeplessness on at transient or chronic basis. The disorder can be caused by air travel across time zones, shift work, irregular sleep-wake cycle, delayed sleep phase syndrome, and advanced sleep-phase syndrome.
Sleepwalking

Sleepwalking is a sleep disorder or "parasomnia." It is characterized by complex action and walking during sleep. This is common in children in early and middle adolescence. The sleepwalker doesn't remember what happens during these episodes.
Snoring

Snoring is the sound that occurs during sleep when soft tissues where the throat meets the back of the nasal passage partially block the airway and subsequently vibrates and causes noise. Snoring in itself isn't a big medical problem, but can be an indicator of a more serious problem like obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

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Sleep FAQs Doctors still haven't figured out why we do it, but we all need it, that's for sure! Get answers to your frequently asked questions (FAQs) on sleep and sleep hygiene.

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Sleep Basics (How To Get a Good Night's Sleep) Topic Guide - Visuals

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12 Tips for Success with Antidepressants
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20 Biological Body Clock Facts
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20 Tips to Beat Insomnia
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25 Hormone Imbalance Symptoms and Signs
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25 Ways to Relieve Menstrual Cramps
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9 Signs of Perimenopause
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Ankylosing Spondylitis: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment
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Bed Basics and Sleep
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Bed Bugs Slideshow
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Benefits of Napping
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Caffeine Quiz
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Drug Interactions from Foods and Herbs
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Healthy Indulgences < $15
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Insomnia Slideshow
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Jobs that May Ruin Sleep
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Kids & Sleep Slideshow
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Morning Mistakes
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Restless Legs Syndrome
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Sleep Cycle
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Sleep Deprivation
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Sleep Disorders
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Sleep Quiz
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What Are the Best Sleeping Positions?

Sleep Basics (How To Get a Good Night's Sleep) Topic Guide - Medications and Vitamins

Medications:

Ramelteon

Ramelteon is a sedative, also called a hypnotic. It works by affecting certain substances in your body that help regulate your "sleep-wake cycle."

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Eszopiclone

Eszopiclone is a sedative that is used to treat insomnia. This medicine causes relaxation to help you fall asleep and stay asleep...learn more »

Zaleplon

Zaleplon is a sedative that is used to treat insomnia. This medicine causes relaxation to help you fall asleep and stay asleep...learn more »

Zolpidem

Zolpidem is used to treat insomnia. The immediate-release forms of zolpidem are Ambien, Intermezzo, Edluar, and Zolpimist, which...learn more »

Temazepam

Temazepam is a benzodiazepine (ben-zoe-dye-AZE-eh-peen). Temazepam affects chemicals in the brain that may be unbalanced in people with sleep problems (inso...learn more »