The Many Factors That Cause Your Sleep Disorders By Janet Martin At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Global warming, just like most problems under the sun, did not just happen one day because somebody wished the Polar ice caps to melt fast. Things are the way they are for a reason, even if the reason may not be very obvious. The same is true with your sleeping problems. If you have not been snoozing well lately, then there must be underlying factors why this is happening. They may not be as apparent as sleeping beside a snoring spouse, but you need to know them if you want to get rid of your slumber woes for good. Here are the most common factors that affect the person's natural sleep cycle.

Stress

Majority of people who experience short-term insomnia suffer from stress. More often than not, being anxious about something, such as getting married, passing a board exam, dealing with work-related problems, marital disputes, overcoming a loss of something or someone, sudden financial woes, or even just plain boredom, is the underlying reason why a person suddenly finds it difficult to sleep well at night for several days or weeks. However, after the stressor has been lifted or resolved, many regain their natural snooze cycle.

Medical Condition

Headache, tooth problems, muscle pain or colds are just some medical conditions that contribute to short-term insomnia. More often than not, you can bounce back to sleeping well after the cough or aches are gone. However, chronic and severe diseases may be the fundamental reason why you are suffering from long-term insomnia, which is characterized by lack of restful sleep for a month or more. Diseases and conditions such as chronic sinusitis, diabetes, arthritis, heart ailments, ulcers and epilepsy can all cause inability to sleep for extended periods. Those who are experiencing excruciating pain, which may be due to surgery, or those that have cancer and other very painful conditions are also prone to sleep woes.

Psychiatric Problems

Sometimes the culprit for your lack of sleep can be less obvious, like psychiatric or mental problems. People who are depressed or having bouts with tension and anxiety may not realize that their inability to achieve restless sleep is because of their depression, phobias, compulsion or fear.

Work Schedule

Most individuals who are doing graveyard shifts are suffering from sleeping problems because their work hours run differently to their natural sleeping pattern or biological clock. Since melatonin, a substance produced by the body that is responsible for making people sleep, is only released when it is dark, people who have to work at night find themselves drinking tons of coffee or energy drinks to counter their compulsion to sleep at night. When morning comes, they no longer feel sleepy.

Medications

Blood pressure drugs, anti-depressants and a host of other pills oftentimes disrupt the normal sleeping cycle of a person. However, merely stopping taking the drug will not help you in this case because you need the medication as maintenance to make you well. If you think the pills you are taking are interrupting your sleep patterns, you better head back to your doctor and seek help. There might be an alternative medication that you can take.

Aging Process

Studies have shown that people over 65 are finding it harder and harder to sleep for eight hours a day. In fact, most of them only sleep as little as four or five hours. Some are even wide-awake at night. Experts still are not sure whether aging is really the underlying cause of wakefulness or insomnia for the elderly. Some believe that they can be caused by their medications.

If you are one of the many people who are suffering from insomnia, it is best to know the factor causing your problem before popping any pill. Sometimes, resolving your problems can make you sleep well again. For those who are really sleep-deprived for a long time, using all-natural sleep aids, such as chamomile oils or supplements, can help you with your sleep woes too.

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