 |
print the page |  |
email the page |  |
|
- What is insomnia?
- Symptoms of insomnia
- Causes of insomnia
- Prevention of insomnia
- Risk factors for insomnia
- Complications of insomnia
- When to see a doctor about insomnia
- Diagnosis of insomnia
- Conventional treatment of insomnia
- Alternative/complementary treatment of insomnia
- Living with insomnia
- Caring for someone with insomnia
There are a number of risk factors for the development of insomnia:
- Anxiety disorders - people with any type of anxiety disorders have a higher incidence of insomnia as part of the symptoms of this disorder and it is very difficult for people with high anxiety to be able to fall asleep very well
- Certain health conditions - there are a number of health conditions that can pre-dispose a person to experiencing insomnia. Any health conditions which causes inability to sleep at night (due to pain or symptoms or both) can increase likelihood of insomnia and this can become a vicious circle if it continues for a long enough period
- Certain medications - some medications can increase feelings of anxiety and unease, which can increase likelihood of insomnia. The medications that can most commonly cause insomnia are:
- Anti-depressants - used for depression
- Anti-convulsants - used for epilepsy
- Bronchodilators - used for asthma and other lung conditions
- Corticosteroids - used for asthma, arthritis and other inflammatory conditions
- Eostrogen - used in HRT (eostrogen replacement)
- Levodopa - used for Parkinson's disease
- MAOIs - used for depression and anxiety
- Ritalin - used for ADHD
- Sympathomimetics - found in cold/flu medicines
- Theophylline - for asthma
- Thyroid hormone - for underactive thyroid hormone disorders
Advertisement
- Dementia - people with all forms of dementia (including Alzheimer's disease) experience a higher rate of insomnia and this so far is proving difficult to prevent
- Depression - people with any type of depression have a higher incidence of insomnia as part of the symptoms of this disorder and it is very difficult for people with depression to be able to fall asleep very well
- Hypoglycaemia - people who experience hypoglycaemia quite often experience insomnia due to much lowered blood glucose levels, especially at night, when the reserves are very low, so this can keep them up, awake and alert
- Fibromyalgia - the inflammatory arthritis conditions fibromyalgia is often associated with insomnia because it causes a lot of pain and difficulty getting to sleep and difficulty having restful sleep
- Menopause - many women who are in their menopause find it very difficult to get to sleep and to stay asleep, partly because of the hot flushes and partly because of the fluctuating hormone levels and insomnia ensues
- Restless legs syndrome - people with restless legs syndrome quite ofen experience insomnia, mainly due to the pain and restlessness they experience at night in their legs. Insomnia is very common in these people
- Thyroid disorders - people with thyroid disorders that increase the release of the thyroid hormone thyroxin find it very difficult to sleep because of the stimulating effect this hormone has on the body and it keeps them awake unable to get to sleep
Advertisement
Sections: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12
< 4: prevention 6: complications > Last reviewed: 19 January 2010 || Last updated: 19 January 2010
Related Articles
NOTE: Mega doses of any type of vitamin, mineral, amino acid or herbal supplement cannot cure illnesses and in fact can be very dangerous and produce toxic side effects and interfere with medicine you are taking. Always ensure you consult your doctor before taking any type of complementary supplements.
Disclaimer: This guide is not intended to be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. For any treatment or diagnosis of illness, please see your doctor.
