Health Profiling: Recognizing the Physical Causes of Insomnia
Insomnia is often thought to be related to stress or
anxiety, but those are only two of the reasons that this
condition might surface. There are numerous physical
circumstances that might serve as the catalyst for
sleeplessness – some more closely associated to women than
men. The bottom line is that, whenever a person deviates
from their normal sleep pattern as the result of a lack of
sleep, something within their life – or their health
profile – has gone awry and needs to be addressed.
Women tend to be the victims of insomnia more often than
their male counterparts. This is partially due to the fact
that hormonal changes which are intrinsic to females can
bring about this particular condition. These changes may
include PMS, menstruation, pregnancy and menopause. Any
number of things can happen when an influx or decrease of
hormones takes place in the body, and insomnia is one of
the more common side effects.
Age plays a significant role in the ability to get a good
night’s sleep, as well. This is due to the fact that, as we
age, the melatonin (a chemical that’s needed in order to
induce sleep) decreases and, by the time we reach the age
of sixty, very little is produced by our bodies. Without
the presence of this chemical, the amount of sleep that the
body receives diminishes. This may either mean rising
earlier in the morning or the inability to sleep at night.
Various medical conditions can be responsible for the onset
of insomnia, including high blood pressure, heart disease,
asthma, arthritis, allergies, hyperthyroidism and
Parkinson’s disease. In addition to the illnesses causing
insomnia, the medications that are necessary as a result of
certain illnesses may also cause sleeplessness.
Pain or general discomfort will cause the loss of sleep
and, depending upon the degree, could cause a full-blown
case of insomnia. Whether it’s due to an illness or injury
doesn’t matter, since it’s the resulting pain that can
bring about the lack of sleep. In most cases, this can be
treated with either OTC or prescribed medications, but
there’s no guarantee that the insomnia will cease, since
some of these will have the same effect.
Someone suffering from some other form of sleeping disorder
might also be the victim of insomnia. For instance, in the
case of a person who has sleep apnea – a condition which
causes the cessation of breathing during the sleep cycle –
insomnia might be a natural by-product if the non-breathing
episodes are high in number. In some cases, the individual
might experience hundreds of occurrences in the course of a
night. This type of scenario can cause sleep deprivation to
the degree that the person is virtually awake all night.
For some reason, which is unknown to the medical community,
the predisposition to insomnia tends to run in family
lines. Therefore, it’s believed that genetics play some
role in whether or not a person will suffer from this
illness. Further research must be done in order to isolate
the reasons for this phenomenon, but the evidence is
clearly present.
If you’re among those who suffer from insomnia, don’t
assume that it will go away in a day or two, and don’t
attempt a self-diagnosis. Contact your physician and make
arrangements for a complete physical. All too often,
sleeplessness is simply masking a more serious problem.
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
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