Insomnia Causes
Insomnia is a commonplace condition which affects millions of people every year. The Encarta Dictionary defines the word "Insomnia" as the "inability to fall asleep or to remain asleep long enough to feel rested, especially when this is a problem that continues over time".
What causes insomnia? Causes vary; the reason might be due to a medical condition, disease, or personal circumstance.
Insomnia causes vary as do those it affects. Insomnia can impinge upon the old and the young, men and women. It is neither consistent as to why, nor impartial as to whom it affects, although studies have revealed insomnia is more than one and a half times more likely to affect women than men and is more common in adults. Whether man, woman, adult or youngster, when suffering from insomnia it is unlikely you will wake up in the morning feeling re-energized.
Transient insomnia is a common occurrence. In this case disruptions in sleep patterns will only be short term – possibly only a matter of days. Short term insomnia causes are usually due to temporary situations: examinations, an argument, problems with finances or work, etc. Therefore, once that situation has resolved itself, so will the insomnia.
Chronic insomnia can be much harder to resolve because the causes in this instance are often more complex. The condition is more long term and the longer it goes on, the greater the negative effects it will have on everyday life. Without sleep, both our motor and mental faculties can begin to fail us; usually leading to constant drowsiness and poor concentration, possibly even leading to depression. A good night's sleep is essential for both mental and physical restoration.
Chronic causes of insomnia can be multiple. There can be several combining factors causing the problem. Insomnia might be due to practical problems, such as a change is working times – a move from the day to nightshift for instance. It could be down to the use of psychoactive drugs, such as amphetamines and cocaine, or stimulants such as alcohol, nicotine and caffeine. Emotional stress brought on by the loss of a job, relationship, or loved one; on-going financial problems, or can all lead to chronic insomnia. In women, hormone shifts, like those experienced during menopause is a common cause of insomnia. Any one or any combination of these insomnia causes can lead to elevated problems in the long term. Therefore, the sooner they are addressed, the better.
Click Insomnia Causes or The Cure For Insomnia or Symptoms For Insomnia for more info. Copyright 2009 Ron X King.
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Sleeping Disorders
By Ron King
There are various medical and psychological reasons which can and do invariably bring about sleeping disorders. A sleeping disorder may begin rather unobtrusively with sleep patterns being disrupted only marginally at first. However, if the cause of the disruption is not approached and dealt with sooner rather than later it can become a far more serious problem. In some instances sleeping disorders can also disrupt the everyday workings of a person's physical, mental and emotional activity.
There are many physical conditions which can cause sleeping disorders, such as 'Hypopnea Syndrome' - a condition where the person's respiratory rate becomes abnormally shallow while they are sleeping. Another example is 'Obstructive Sleep Apnea' - which is most commonly due to some kind of obstruction in the airway.
To discover if there are any bio-physiological changes occurring during sleep a Poly-Somno-Graphy (PSG), also referred to as a 'sleep study', might be carried out. A PSG records various functions while the person is sleeping: such as brain and muscle activity, rapid eye movement (which indicates dramatic dreams - night terrors), heart rhythm (ECG) and skeletal-muscle activity (EMG). If more complex data is needed the PSG will either be supplemented or replaced by an Actigraphy. These tests can diagnose which sleeping problem is causing the situation, as well as rule out most of the more common sleeping orders. Insomnia is usually the diagnosis if there is a chronic disruption in sleep patterns occurs and no other cause can be found.
Waking up un-rested and non-responsive can indicate a sleeping disorder and insomnia (defined as the inability to obtain an adequate, good night's sleep, either because of difficulties falling asleep, staying asleep, or both) is indicated. Other commonly diagnosed sleeping disorders include Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD) and Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS). With PLMD a person will suddenly and involuntarily jerk their arms or legs while sleeping. RLS brings on a slightly different sensation: with RLS the individual feels the irresistible need to move/shake their legs. Often these disorders will be suffered concurrently.
During 2006, the United States Department of Health carried out a study upon one thousand American teens aged 13 to 16 years. Incredibly 11% of them were diagnosed as suffering from Insomnia. In 2007 another study by them revealed that women are almost one and a half times more likely to suffer insomnia and that around 64 million Americans are dealing with this condition every year. That figure alone is enough to cause anyone sleepless nights!
Click Sleeping disorders or Sleeping disorder for more info. Copyright 2009 Ron X King.
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Ruben Nixon