Types of Sleep Disorders
by
site editor Marlene S. Hodge, last update: 5/11/2012 1:20:37 PM.
sleep, sleep aid
Sleep disorders vary from the physical to the psychological, though the general effect is that the regular sleeping patterns are disrupted. This of course leads to drowsiness, irritability, and loss of concentration. Sometimes it is not the amount of sleep, but rather the quality of sleep which is affected. This is a very brief overview of different types of sleep disorders.
By far the most common sleep disorder is transient onset insomnia. This is usually caused by stress and can be categorized as a difficulty falling asleep which only lasts for a few days. Most people will experience this at some point in their lives, most often during periods of high stress and anxiety. If this problem lasts more than a few days it is called acute onset insomnia, and when it persists for longer than that it is chronic onset insomnia. Chronic onset insomnia is usually a symptom of a greater anxiety disorder.
Middle insomnia is a sleep disorder usually caused by a physical factor such as pain or an illness. It simply means waking multiple times in the middle of the night. The most common treatment for this type of insomnia are herbal supplements or prescription drugs; either to control the pain or simply calm the nervous system. Terminal insomnia is not exactly what is sounds like, it does not describe a fatal sleep disorder, but rather early waking. Terminal insomnia is usually a symptom of a psychological disorder such as schizophrenia.
Physical sleep disorders include things like sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a potentially dangerous sleep disorder and extremely unpleasant one for the sufferer. People with sleep apnea stop breathing for short periods of time during sleep, and wake up multiple times in the night gasping for air. Generally it is caused by tissue in the throat becoming relaxed during sleep and blocking the airways. The treatment of this is usually a mask which keeps the airways open using air pressure. It is quite uncomfortable at first but a person can generally adjust to it within a matter of weeks.
Hormonal changes can be the cause of insomnia. Women undergoing menopause often suffer from sleep disorders. This is obviously making a bad situation worse, but is generally a temporary condition. Elderly people who do not produce enough melatonin suffer from insomnia often as well. For treatment of these it is best to consult your doctor and decide together on what is best for you.
To get back to the main cause of insomnia, anxiety, it is occurring more and more frequently. This is most likely for a combination of two reasons. The first is that life is steadily getting more stressful. The second is that people are becoming more and more likely to report a sleep disorder. Many doctors will write you a prescription for Ambien or Xanax, but there are many problems with both of these drugs. Both Ambien and Xanax have been known to have dependency issues as well as lend themselves to addiction and overdose. In cases of onset insomnia which do not involve a serious anxiety disorder a herbal supplement is preferable. Natural supplements are far more effective than a lot of people believe and can both calm the nervous system and relax muscles to prevent pains and cramps from waking you. I encourage you to look into these further or discuss the use of St John's Wort over Ambien with your doctor.