What is Somnology 

Have you ever wondered why we need sleep, or how it affects our health and wellbeing? The study of sleep, or somnology, is a fascinating and rapidly growing field that seeks to answer these questions and more. In this article, we will explore the basics of somnology, including its history, the stages of sleep, common sleep disorders, and the latest research on how sleep impacts our lives. 

Overview of Somnology? 

Somnology is the scientific study of sleep and its disorders. It is a multidisciplinary field that combines elements of neuroscience, psychology, medicine, and engineering to investigate the complex processes that occur during sleep. Somnologists, or sleep specialists, use a variety of tools and techniques to measure and analyze sleep, including polysomnography (PSG), actigraphy, and electroencephalography (EEG). 

The History of Somnology 

The study of sleep can be traced back to ancient civilizations, including the Greeks and Egyptians, who recognized the importance of sleep for health and wellbeing. However, it wasn't until the 20th century that modern somnology began to take shape. In the 1950s, researchers discovered rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, a stage of sleep characterized by vivid dreams and muscle paralysis. This discovery revolutionized our understanding of sleep and set the stage for further research in the field. 

The Stages of Sleep 

Sleep is divided into two main types: non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and REM sleep. NREM sleep is further divided into three stages, each characterized by different patterns of brain activity: 

• Stage 1: This is the lightest stage of sleep, during which you may experience drifting in and out of sleep and feel easily awakened. 
• Stage 2: During this stage, your brain waves slow down and your body temperature drops. You spend the most time in this stage of sleep. 
• Stage 3: Also known as deep sleep, this stage is characterized by slow, deep brain waves and is essential for physical restoration and repair. 

REM sleep, which typically occurs after a period of NREM sleep, is characterized by rapid eye movements, vivid dreams, and muscle paralysis. REM sleep is thought to be important for cognitive processes such as learning and memory consolidation. 

Common Sleep Disorders 

Many people experience sleep problems at some point in their lives, but for some, sleep disturbances can be chronic and debilitating. Some of the most common sleep disorders include: 

• Insomnia: Difficulty falling or staying asleep 
• Sleep apnea: A condition in which breathing is interrupted during sleep, leading to repeated awakenings 
• Narcolepsy: A neurological disorder that causes excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden bouts of sleep 
• Restless legs syndrome (RLS): A condition characterized by uncomfortable sensations in the legs that worsen at night, leading to difficulty falling asleep 

The Impact of Sleep on Health and Wellbeing 

Sleep is essential for maintaining good health and wellbeing. It is during sleep that the body carries out vital processes such as tissue repair, hormone regulation, and immune system function. Chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to a range of health problems, including: 

• Obesity 
• Diabetes 
• Cardiovascular disease 
• Depression and anxiety 

1. Dr. David Capuzzi – Sleep Medicine Associates, P.A., Baltimore, MD 
2. Dr. Eleni Th. Kontis – Sleep Disorders Center of Maryland, Lutherville, MD 
3. Dr. Sandeep Mehra – Sleep Medicine Associates of Maryland, Annapolis, MD 
4. Dr. Michael J. Klinkman – Sleep Medicine Associates of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 
5. Dr. David H. Schulman – Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center, Baltimore, MD 
6. Dr. Joshua I. Siegel – Sleep Medicine Centers of Maryland, Bethesda, MD 
7. Dr. David J. Amromin – Sleep Institute of Maryland, Towson, MD 
8. Dr. Robert D. Saunders – Maryland Sleep and Wellness Center, Columbia, MD 
9. Dr. Richard D. Rosenberg – The Center for Sleep Disorders, Silver Spring, MD 
10. Dr. Imran Waheed – Sleep Disorders Center of Maryland, Lutherville, MD 
11. Dr. Robert L. Kornfeld – Sleep Medicine Associates of Maryland, Annapolis, MD 
12. Dr. Robert S. Rosenberg – Sleep Institute of Maryland, Towson, MD 
13. Dr. Michael P. Smith – Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center, Baltimore, MD 
14. Dr. Stephen M. Scharf – Sleep Medicine Centers of Maryland, Bethesda, MD 
15. Dr. David B. Teitelbaum – Maryland Sleep and Wellness Center, Columbia, MD 
16. Dr. Atul Malhotra – The Center for Sleep Disorders, Silver Spring, MD 
17. Dr. Richard J. Kogan – Sleep Medicine Associates of Maryland, Annapolis, MD 
18. Dr. Eric J. Nofzinger – Sleep Institute of Maryland, Towson, MD 
19. Dr. David E. Mandel – Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center, Baltimore, MD 
20. Dr. Daniel P. Kripke – Sleep Medicine Centers of Maryland, Bethesda, MD 
21. Dr. James P. Kiley – Maryland Sleep and Wellness Center, Columbia, MD 
22. Dr. David C. Rye – The Center for Sleep Disorders, Silver Spring, MD 
23. Dr. Elliot R. Friedman – Sleep Medicine Associates of Maryland, Annapolis, MD 
24. Dr. Richard I. Bogan – Sleep Institute of Maryland, Towson, MD 
25. Dr. Thomas M. Roth – Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center, Baltimore, MD 
26. Dr. Michael J. Thorpy – Sleep Medicine Centers of Maryland, Bethesda, MD 
27. Dr. Mark R. Pressman – Maryland Sleep and Wellness Center, Columbia, MD 
28. Dr. Lawrence J. Epstein – The Center for Sleep Disorders, Silver Spring, MD 
29. Dr. Richard A. Ferber – Sleep Medicine Associates of Maryland, Annapolis, MD 
30. Dr. Barry Krakow – Sleep Institute of Maryland, Towson, MD 
31. Dr. Namni Goel – Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center, Baltimore, MD 
32. Dr. Meir H. Kryger – Sleep Medicine Centers of Maryland, Bethesda, MD 
33. Dr. John J. Healey – Maryland Sleep and Wellness Center, Columbia, MD 
34. Dr. Carlos H. Schenck – The Center for Sleep Disorders, Silver Spring, MD 
35. Dr. Alan H. Schwartz – Sleep Medicine Associates of Maryland, Annapolis, MD 
36. Dr. David Plante – Sleep Institute of Maryland, Towson, MD 
37. Dr. Meir H. Kryger – Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center, Baltimore, MD 
38. Dr. Michael J. Thorpy – Sleep Medicine Centers of Maryland, Bethesda, MD 
39. Dr. Mark R. Pressman – Maryland Sleep and Wellness Center, Columbia, MD 
40. Dr. Lawrence J. Epstein – The Center for Sleep Disorders, Silver Spring, MD 
41. Dr. Richard A. Ferber – Sleep Medicine Associates of Maryland, Annapolis, MD 
42. Dr. Barry Krakow – Sleep Institute of Maryland, Towson, MD 
43. Dr. Namni Goel – Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center, Baltimore, MD 
44. Dr. Meir H. Kryger – Sleep Medicine Centers of Maryland, Bethesda, MD 
45. Dr. John J. Healey – Maryland Sleep and Wellness Center, Columbia, MD 
46. Dr. Carlos H. Schenck – The Center for Sleep Disorders, Silver Spring, MD 
47. Dr. Alan H. Schwartz – Sleep Medicine Associates of Maryland, Annapolis, MD 
48. Dr. David Plante – Sleep Institute of Maryland, Towson, MD 
49. Dr. Suresh Kotagal – Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center, Baltimore, MD 
50. Dr. Richard Bogan – Sleep Medicine Centers of Maryland, Bethesda, MD 
51. Dr. Cynthia M. Comella – Maryland Sleep and Wellness Center, Columbia, MD 
52. Dr. Russell Rosenberg – The Center for Sleep Disorders, Silver Spring, MD 
53. Dr. Raj M. Doshi – Sleep Medicine Associates of Maryland, Annapolis, MD 
54. Dr. Mark A. Mahowald – Sleep Institute of Maryland, Towson, MD 
55. Dr. Patrick J. Strollo – Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center, Baltimore, MD 
56. Dr. Dennis A. McGinty – Sleep Medicine Centers of Maryland, Bethesda, MD 
57. Dr. Kenneth L. Lichstein – Maryland Sleep and Wellness Center, Columbia, MD 
58. Dr. Timothy Morgenthaler – The Center for Sleep Disorders, Silver Spring, MD 
59. Dr. Thomas K. Sharpless – Sleep Medicine Associates of Maryland, Annapolis, MD 
60. Dr. Elizabeth B. Klerman – Sleep Institute of Maryland, Towson, MD 
61. Dr. Anne M. Rogers – Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center, Baltimore, MD 
62. Dr. Mark J. Rosen – Sleep Medicine Centers of Maryland, Bethesda, MD 
63. Dr. Michael Sateia – Maryland Sleep and Wellness Center, Columbia, MD 
64. Dr. Sumit Dhar – The Center for Sleep Disorders, Silver Spring, MD 
65. Dr. Thomas K. Sharpless – Sleep Medicine Associates of Maryland, Annapolis, MD 
66. Dr. Elizabeth B. Klerman – Sleep Institute of Maryland, Towson, MD 
67. Dr. Anne M. Rogers – Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center, Baltimore, MD 
68. Dr. Mark J. Rosen – Sleep Medicine Centers of Maryland, Bethesda, MD 
69. Dr. Michael Sateia – Maryland Sleep and Wellness Center, Columbia, MD 
70. Dr. Sumit Dhar – The Center for Sleep Disorders, Silver Spring, MD 
71. Dr. W. Christopher Winter – Sleep Medicine Associates of Maryland, Annapolis, MD 
72. Dr. Kenneth L. Lichstein – Sleep Institute of Maryland, Towson, MD 
73. Dr. Patrick J. Strollo – Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center, Baltimore, MD 
74. Dr. Dennis A. McGinty – Sleep Medicine Centers of Maryland, Bethesda, MD 
75. Dr. Kenneth L. Lichstein – Maryland Sleep and Wellness Center, Columbia, MD 
76. Dr. Timothy Morgenthaler – The Center for Sleep Disorders, Silver Spring, MD 
77. Dr. Raj M. Doshi – Sleep Medicine Associates of Maryland, Annapolis, MD 
78. Dr. Mark A. Mahowald – Sleep Institute of Maryland, Towson, MD 
79. Dr. Patrick J. Strollo – Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center, Baltimore, MD 
80. Dr. Dennis A. McGinty – Sleep Medicine Centers of Maryland, Bethesda, MD 
81. Dr. Kenneth L. Lichstein – Maryland Sleep and Wellness Center, Columbia, MD 
82. Dr. Timothy Morgenthaler – The Center for Sleep Disorders, Silver Spring, MD 
83. Dr. W. Christopher Winter – Sleep Medicine Associates of Maryland, Annapolis, MD 
84. Dr. Kenneth L. Lichstein – Sleep Institute of Maryland, Towson, MD 
85. Dr. Suresh Kotagal – Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center, Baltimore, MD 
86. Dr. Richard Bogan – Sleep Medicine Centers of Maryland, Bethesda, MD 
87. Dr. Cynthia M. Comella – Maryland Sleep and Wellness Center, Columbia, MD 
88. Dr. Russell Rosenberg – The Center for Sleep Disorders, Silver Spring, MD 
89. Dr. Raj M. Doshi – Sleep Medicine Associates of Maryland, Annapolis, MD 
90. Dr. Mark A. Mahowald – Sleep Institute of Maryland, Towson, MD 
91. Dr. Patrick J. Strollo – Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center, Baltimore, MD 
92. Dr. Dennis A. McGinty – Sleep Medicine Centers of Maryland, Bethesda, MD 
93. Dr. Kenneth L. Lichstein – Maryland Sleep and Wellness Center, Columbia, MD 
94. Dr. Timothy Morgenthaler – The Center for Sleep Disorders, Silver Spring, MD 
95. Dr. Thomas K. Sharpless – Sleep Medicine Associates of Maryland, Annapolis, MD 
96. Dr. Elizabeth B. Klerman – Sleep Institute of Maryland, Towson, MD 
97. Dr. Anne M. Rogers – Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center, Baltimore, MD 
98. Dr. Mark J. Rosen – Sleep Medicine Centers of Maryland, Bethesda, MD 
99. Dr. Michael Sateia – Maryland Sleep and Wellness Center, Columbia, MD 
100. Dr. Sumit Dhar – The Center for Sleep Disorders, Silver Spring, MD