Secondary Sleep Disorders Caused by Illnesses

Sleep disorders can many times be triggered because of certain illnesses or even from the use of certain medications that are taken for a particular illness. Some illnesses that can trigger sleeping disorders include cardiovascular problems, endocrinal problems, gastro esophageal reflux disease, kidney disorders, joint problems like arthritis, neurological problems, respiratory problems and mental disorders.

Causes Of Sleep Disorder

Cardiovascular problems that can trigger sleep disorders include coronary artery disease and congestive cardiac failure. There is deposition of fat and cholesterol within the arteries that circulates blood to the muscles of the heart, a condition known as atherosclerosis leading to coronary artery disease. Due to this condition, people can suffer from sleep disorders like sleep apnea. Congestive cardiac failure is a condition where the heart is unable to meet the requirements of supply of blood to various parts of the body. This causes an effect on various organ systems like kidney, lungs and other organs. People with this condition have a higher chance of developing sleep problems like obstructive sleep apnea.

Diabetes and thyroid problems are some of the endocrinal disorders that can lead to certain sleep disorders. Diabetes is a condition that has many affects on various processes of the body and on the metabolism of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. People with diabetes are likely to develop sleep disorder like restless leg syndrome. The energy level of the body is regulated due to hormones secreted by the thyroid. People with excess secretion of thyroid hormones have difficulties in getting sleep and have the tendency to wake up due to night sweating.

Many neurological problems like Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease and stroke can lead to sleep disorders. People with Alzheimer’s disease suffer from dementia and inability to function normally. It also leads to sleep problems such as sleep fragmentation. Epilepsy is caused due to alterations in the electric impulses within the brain. People with this condition are likely to develop sleep disorders such as sleep disorder insomnia.

Parkinson’s disease is a problem of the central nerve system and person suffering from this problem has difficulties with controlling voluntary body movements and suffer from symptoms like tremors, difficulty with walking and other normal activities, muscle stiffness and difficulties of the posture. They are also likely to suffer from sleep disorders like sleep onset insomnia and REM sleep behavior disorder.

People suffering from respiratory illnesses like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are also likely to suffer from sleep disorders. People with asthma have difficulty with breathing as the condition causes airway to be constricted and inflamed. People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) suffer from damage to the lungs that cause difficulty in breathing normally. People with these respiratory problems are likely to suffer from sleeping disorders like sleep fragmentation or insomnia.

Anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, schizophrenia and seasonal affective disorder are some mental illnesses wherein there is a highly chance of a sleep disorder setting in. People suffering from these problems are more likely to develop insomnia or sleep fragmentation.

Gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition where there is a reverse flow of juices secreted in the stomach to enter the esophagus. People with this condition are also likely to develop sleep disorders such as sleep fragmentation.

People with kidney problems have lot of trouble in eliminating waste products that are present in the body and also have an imbalance of salt and water content within the body. They are also likely to suffer from sleep disorders like insomnia or restless leg syndrome.

People with joint problems like arthritis develop sleep disorders such as insomnia owing to the pain they suffer constantly.

People suffering from sleep disorders as a result of an illness or medication are classified as secondary sleep disorders. In such conditions, elimination of the sleep disorder is highly dependent on treating the primary cause that has led to the development of the sleep disorder.