Causes of Sleep Deprivation

The causes of sleep deprivation are psychological and physical, or a mixture of both. Individuals who don't get more than six hours of sleep per night on a regular basis can suffer from sleep deprivation, or other sleep disorders. Over time, not getting enough sleep can lead to illnesses or an increased risk of injury. Knowing why it's happening can help you to overcome this serious health problem.

Explore sleep deprivation studies.

There are four main categories for the causes of sleep deprivation. For some, a mixture of several of these is possible.

One of the main causes is the lifestyle you lead. This includes eating a poor diet and drinking alcohol regularly or excessively. Drinking too much caffeine leads to the inability to sleep well. Working late night shifts throws off the internal clock; the body has a more difficult time sleeping with light. Normal circadian patterns are altered when you can't sleep during the night.

Those unsure of what is behind their sleep deprivation should keep a sleep journal. Record what you ate, what you did and what happened when you tried to go to sleep each day. Over a period of weeks or a month, patterns develop showing you what could be behind your sleep deprivation.

Some medical conditions lead to sleep deprivation. This can be a symptom of a much larger problem. These medical conditions can affect both your emotional state and physical state, causing deprivation indirectly.

Severe asthma can trigger attacks during the evening, keeping you from regular sleep. Other medical conditions can be physiological, such as depression. Doctors have also found post traumatic stress disorder is the cause of insomnia in affected people.

Not only can medical conditions lead to sleep deprivation, but so can the medications you take. Some medications alter the body's natural rhythm, often causing insomnia, tiredness and the inability to fall asleep.

Tell your doctor about the sleep deprivation if it has come on after taking a new medication or a larger dose of the medication. Don't stop taking the medication without talking to your doctor first. Doctors may offer other medicine options, or may alter the dosage to stop the sleep deprivation.

When sleep deprivation causes aren't as obvious, it could be you are suffering from a clinical sleep disorder. Disorders such as insomnia and narcolepsy can be underlying problems for individuals suffering from sleep deprivation. One such medical problem includes sleep apnea where the fatty tissues around the throat close off for very short amounts of time as you sleep. You are jarred awake, over and over throughout the night, though you may not realize it. In return, you are always tired, never rested.

The causes of sleep deprivation often dictate when you should seek help. If you believe medication or medical condition is the underlying problem, immediate help is necessary. Those whose lifestyle is the cause should make changes to that lifestyle as much as possible to insure the body has the ability to sleep as it needs to.

Those who have extreme symptoms should seek medical attention as soon as possible. For example:

• You suffer from insomnia for three or more nights per week for several weeks
• You snore loudly, choke, or stop breathing while lying down or trying to sleep
• You wake after seeming to sleep a full night and are exhausted on a regular basis
• Your lack of sleep impairs you keeping you from handling daily activities
• You are experiencing other medical symptoms including chest pain or the inability to catch your breath

By some reports, sleep problems affect one in four people around the world at some point in their lifetimes. In most cases, you are able to overcome the problem prior to it becoming a health risk. Seeking medical guidance as soon as you start having these conditions will minimize the damage done to your body because of them.

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