Health Photos
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Sleep disorders may be due by various factors. Although causes may differ, the end result of all sleep disorders is that the body's natural cycle gets disturbed.
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Factors that may lead cause sleep problems are:
- Physical (ulcers)
- Medical (asthma)
- Psychiatric (depression and anxiety disorders)
- Environmental (alcohol use)
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Short-term or acute sleep disorders are generally caused by life stresses, such as job loss or change, death of a loved one, or moving; an illness; or environmental factors, such as light, noise, or extreme temperatures.
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Long-term or chronic sleep problems (sleep disorders that occur at least three nights a week for a month or longer) can be caused by factors such as depression, stress and pain.
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Many studies have suggested that there is a genetic basis for sleep disorders. In other words, sleep disorder may run in families.
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People who work at night often experience sleep disorders because they cannot sleep when they start feeling drowsy. Their activities run contrary to their biological clocks.
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Certain drugs can interfere with sleep cycle. These may include antidepressants, blood pressure medication, and some over-the-counter cold medicines.
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About half of all adults over the age of 65 years experience some sort of sleep disorder. It is not clear if it is a normal part of aging or a result of medications that older people commonly use to treat various ailments that they are suffering from.
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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.
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Any impairment in the brain such as central apnoea and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease are also potential cause for sleep disorders.
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Breathing problems are also a major causative in cases such as obstructive sleep apnoea and snoring.
