Most people have experienced sleepless nights at some point. Sleep problems can keep some individuals from falling asleep or staying asleep during the night. The need for sleep changes with age but the majority of people need eight hours of sleep or more per night to function properly. There can be mental and physical reasons for not sleeping, including stress. When lifestyle and illness are not the causes of sleepless nights, sleep disorders are often the culprits.
Insomnia
Insomnia is a common sleep condition in which a person experiences difficulties sleeping. The condition includes a broad spectrum of sleep disorders and affects many individuals differently. Those with insomnia may experience trouble falling asleep or staying asleep with mild to frequent episodes. More than one-third of adults experience insomnia and 10 to 15 percent of adults experience it chronically, according to the Mayo Clinic. The condition can result from age or stem from stress, medication, caffeine or other factors. Symptoms of insomnia include difficulty falling asleep, irritability, daytime fatigue, awakening throughout the night and difficulty concentrating.
Restless Leg Syndrome
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke reports that nearly 12 million Americans experience restless leg syndrome. The condition is a neurological disorder that causes unpleasant sensations in the thighs, calves, feet and arms. Symptoms may include cramping, tingling, itching, aching, burning and a number of other uncomfortable sensations. Lying down and trying to relax often activates the symptoms and symptoms occur more often during night, according to NINDS. The severity of the condition often relies on such factors as how symptoms affect sleep, how often symptoms occur, strength of symptoms and whether or not moving relieves the symptoms. Medications, illness and disease may trigger RLS for some, but anyone can experience the problem.
Sleep Apnea
When breathing stops or shallows during sleep, it frequently results from sleep apnea. The disorder causes ongoing periods of difficulty breathing and sleeping throughout the night. Pauses in breathing often occur five to 30 times or more an hour, followed by normal breathing, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Anyone can develop the disorder and it can be potentially serious if not treated.
The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea, which causes collapsed or obstructed airways during sleep. Risk factors for the disorder include excess weight, narrowed airway, high blood pressure, smoking and frequent alcohol consumption. Sleep apnea is the leading cause of excessive daytime sleeping and often results in poor sleep quality, explains NHLBI.
