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Causes Of Sleep Disorders
by: Jason Rickard
Causes of sleep disorders are varied and range from serious neurological
problems to simple nightmares. Sleep disorder means any difference in the
normal sleep pattern that can be sleeplessness, oversleep or intermittent
sleep behaviors. Persistent sleep disorder is considered to be a problem
since it affects the daily living pattern and can lead to severe
impairments in body and mind. Sleep disorders can be categorized into
dysomnias, parasomnias and others, based on the symptoms of the sleep
disorder. Some of the common sleep disorders include insomnia, bruxism,
sleep apnea, night walking, and snoring. The causes behind sleep disorders
are very signifigant since the treatments for the sleep disorders are
focused on the cure of underlying cause.
In general, the causes for sleep disorders can be categorized into
internal, external and due to disturbance in the normal circadian pattern.
Most often, sleep disorders are manifested as an associated disease of any
organ disease and also a major factor for internal causes of sleep
disorder. It is common that most of the diseases manifest with a
disturbance in the normal sleep pattern. However, serious sleep disorders
can be caused because of medical conditions such as chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease, sleep-related gastroesophageal reflux, peptic ulcer,
fibrositis syndrome, back problems, and neck problems. Any impairment in
the brain such as central apnea and neurodegenerative diseases such as
Alzheimer’s disease are also potential cause for sleep disorders.
Breathing problems are also major causative in cases such as obstructive
sleep apnea and snoring.
If body diseases can attribute sleep problems as an associated disease,
the main feature of psychological problems is sleep disorder. Most of the
mental problems such as anxiety, depression, panic attacks, bipolar
syndrome, paranoia and schizophrenia can cause sleep disorders. Chronic
mental patients usually exhibit severe sleep disorders and it is evaluated
as an important diagnostic characteristic. The specific problems such as
tooth grinding and sleep enuresis are also caused because of certain
mental disorders.
In the case of endocrinal changes, sleep disorders are evident symptom
such as in cases of thyroid problems, in which patient are with insomnia
or over sleep. The sleep problems associated with menopause and pregnancy
related ones are very common. The alteration in the circadian rhythm is a
major causative for many sleep disorders. Shift workers usually experience
sleep disorders due to their altered sleep pattern and jet lag is a reason
for sleep disorder among plane travelers.
Life style factors such as alcoholism and intake of alkaloids such as
caffeine can also contribute to the cause of sleep disorders. The
environmental factors include light, noise, and change of bedding. The
intake of certain drugs Lotronex and Tramadol are also proven to cause
sleep disorders. The consumption of any particular substance may also
attribute sleep disorders in some patients. Anyway, the causative factor
will differ from one patient to the other.
Sleep disorders are most often a symptom of any other serious disorder.
Hence immediate consultation of an expert physician is essential to find
the exact cause behind the sleep disorder.
About The Author
Jason Rickard is the owner of Your Favourite Shop -
http://www.yourfavouriteshop.com - Offering White Noise and Relaxation
CDs - Visit Hapa Health - http://www.hapahapa.com for more articles.
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