The immediate and observable risks are as follows:

Sleep disorders interfere with visceral functions. Loss of appetite as well as inability to 'keep food down' are commonly observed problems. For individuals suffering from insomnia and disorders of the sleep-wake schedule, there is an increase in daytime sleepiness. In instances of somnambulism, restless leg syndrome and periodic limb movement disorder, pains or aches in the legs and feet are common. Decreased attention span is another observable risk of sleep disorders. Individuals report difficulty staying focused on the task at hand and may doze off at critical moments, for example, while driving a car. In aged individuals, sleep disorders may often be the cause of falls and tumbles during the day. In instances of insomnia, individuals often worry about their sleeplessness during the day.

Although the observable risks are reasons for concern, it is the unobservable and sustained risks that make it imperative to treat disorders at the earliest. These are described in detail below.

In children, sleep disorders may have serious repercussions on development both physical and emotional. Absence of sleep or interrupted sleep may lead to stunted growth or reduced emotional development. Nocturnal enuresis or bed wetting may lead to reduced bladder control during the day. Has this article been beneficial? Have you found what you were searching for? If you have not then you may want to click Risks On Sleep Disorder.

Studies have shown that adults who suffer from insomnia are at higher risk of developing depression later in life. Individuals who suffer from hypersomnia, insomnia or both are not only at risk of developing depression but anxiety disorders and substance abuse as well. This has been seen in studies with individuals who have a history of depression as well as those who have no prior history of depression, indicating that it is likely that the cause of the depression, anxiety disorders and substance abuse is directly linked to the sleep disorder.
Individuals who experience insomnia may face the risk of 'REM rebound' when they do eventually fall asleep. This refers to the condition wherein lack of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep for a consecutive number of days leads to vivid dreams that are often disturbing, during the period of REM sleep that eventually occurs

Sleep apnea and snoring are indicators of cardiovascular complications and may lead to sudden death. This is dangerous as sleep apnea is rarely reported and snoring is often brushed off as nothing of importance. Studies have found a connection between sleep related breathing disorders and the risk of stroke in adults. Sleep apnea is also linked with the risk of developing panic disorders.

Sleep disorders need to be diagnosed at the earliest as they may be indicators of other more severe problems. These include problems such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and even epilepsy. A large number of sleep disorders go unnoticed or unreported, leading to increased complications. It is suggested that individuals living alone have regular checkups and be wary of daytime sleepiness as this may be an indicator of a sleep disorder.