Causes of Insomnia: Sleep Disorders

In many cases, insomnia is a symptom of a sleep disorder problem and not the problem itself. The common sleep disorders which causes insomnia includes sleep apnea,

Sleep apnea

Sleep apnea is a disorder where individuals stop breathing for periods of up to 2 minutes, many times each night. It usually occurs during sleep and when it happens, sleep is disrupted. This either causes the person to wake up completely or come out of a deep level of sleep to a more shallow level of sleep.

There are two forms of sleep apnea. One is obstructive sleep apnea is an involuntary stoppage of breathing where air cannot flow in or out of the person's nose or mouth. The other is central sleep apnea, which is must less common. Central sleep apnea occurs when the brain doesn't send the right signals that control the breathing muscles.

The sleeper may not be aware of their difficulty with breathing. Symptoms includes loud snoring, followed by silence, and then a gasping for breath, which a partner may notice.

Restless legs syndrome

Restless legs syndrome, abbreviated as RLS, is when there is an unpleasant crawling, prickling, or tingling feeling in the legs. RLS is more common for older individuals. The symptoms can occur when awake, trying to fall asleep, or while asleep. This can often affect the quality of sleep.

Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is a unique condition that causes people to fall asleep involuntarily at various times throughout the day. This may occur whether or not a person has received a good night's sleep. A person who suffers from narcolepsy may fall asleep from as little as several seconds to over 30 minutes. Narcolepsy is often hereditary but can also occur due to head injury.

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