What Are Sleep Disorders

What Are Sleep Disorders, and Who’s Affected?

Sleep disorders are medical conditions that disrupt your normal sleep patterns. They make it hard to fall asleep, stay asleep, or wake up feeling rested. Some of the most common types include:

• Insomnia: Trouble falling or staying asleep
• Sleep apnea: Breathing stops and starts during sleep, often with loud snoring
• Restless leg syndrome: Uncomfortable leg sensations that make you want to move them
• Narcolepsy: Sudden sleep attacks during the day
• Circadian rhythm disorders: A mismatch between your internal clock and your schedule (think shift workers or jet lag)
  

According to the CDC, about 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. don’t get enough sleep, and Latinx individuals are more likely to report poor sleep compared to non-Hispanic white adults. Factors like long work hours, shift work, stress, and limited access to healthcare can make things worse.

And let’s not ignore the cultural side of it. In many Latinx households, rest is often viewed as laziness. But rest is not a luxury—it’s a health priority.