Sleep Article Nation

Sleep deprivation is a term used to describe the inability to sleep well, or get enough sleep to allow the body to function as it normally should. There are many circumstances under which an individual would struggle to maintain a proper sleep pattern. In a lot of cases, a small number of corrections to sleeping habits and a few good night’s rest can help overcome the effects of sleep deprivation. Sometimes however, there are sleep disorders that are the underlying causes of sleep deprivation.

A trained physician will be able to determine if there are other conditions behind your sleep deprivation. They will also be able to recommend appropriate forms of treatment. Your doctor may also look at the mental, physical and emotional side of the equation, to help diagnose any other complications that are causing your sleep deprivation.

Some common sleep disorders that can lead to sleep deprivation are:

•    Insomnia. Insomnia is technically not a sleep disorder but is often treated as one. Insomnia is a problem where an individual has problems falling asleep or staying asleep for a long enough period of time. It is often caused by stress, choice of lifestyle, medications or other external factors. The net result is the same: sleep deprivation.
•    Sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a breathing-related medical condition where the body stops receiving air through the night. There is more information available on sleep apnea in the other articles on this site, and how sleep apnea specifically relates to sleep deprivation .
•    Sleep attacks and parasomnias. These are a class of sleep deprivation-related conditions ranging from sleep attacks to narcolepsy and other symptoms such as restless leg syndrome, sleep walking, sleep talking and night terrors. If you suspect that you suffer from any of these conditions, consult your doctor immediately. Often the treatment cycle is beyond that used to deal with sleep deprivation.

Tags: sleep deprivation

~ by editor on January 9, 2008.