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Classifying Insomnia and Different Types Of Sleeping Disorders

Court | Dec 21, 2011 |

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High Level Sleeping Disorders

There are a large number of different sleeping disorders. Breaking them up into manageable categories makes them easier to understand, as well as helping to identify the different causes and symptoms. Often there is no way to identify these problems by yourself and you must rely on a professional to do it. That being said, it doesn't hurt to be able to understand the things that might indicate that you are suffering from the influence of a sleeping disorder.

Some sleeping disorders are more apparent in certain age groups. Children are often diagnosed with cases of sleep apnea, though it is becoming more common among the adult population. Obstructive sleep apnea is an internal sleeping disorder that is caused by a physical obstruction of a person's airflow during sleep.

The different types of sleeping disorders are external and internal. From this high level classification there are many smaller categories. In general external sleeping disorders are the easiest to deal with.

Examples of Disorders

Internal sleeping disorders consist of problems that are both hard to identify and also treat. Sometimes disorders like sleep apnea require complicated nightly treatment that involves a system called continuous positive airway pressure. Many disorders require treatments that are inconvient and uncomfortable, but sleep should always take precedence over inconvenience.

Another type of sleeping disorder is one that targets the circadian rhythm of the body. These disorders can be from external stimulus, like in the case of jetlag and time change, or they can be from abnormal physiological changes within the body.

Many disorders, like sleep apnea, create the inability for a person to get the quality sleep that they need to feel rested. Intrinsic types of sleeping disorders can rarely be identified without the help of a sleep study, which should be conducted by a professional.

Solving a problem with an external disorder can be as simple as removing the disruption. Disruptions that cause awakenings can come from sudden changes in light, sound, and temperature.

Disruptions to sleep can also be the result of anxiety, which can lead to insomnia. Onsets of anxiety like these can sometimes be the result of a sleeping disorder, but it is often hard to tell which comes first. Anxiety, stress, and poor sleep are very closely related issues.

If you're unable to identify any external influences that cause lack of sleep side effects and continue to struggle with insomnia, there is a strong possibility of an internal sleeping disorder.