Pathophysiology Of Insomnia

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internal processes of being awake. Two of the key features of this disorder is the overestimation of time that it takes to fall asleep and an underestimation of their total time spent sleeping (worldhealth.net,2008).

Causes that can lead to insomnia and symptoms
Multitudes of issues and stresses can contribute to and cause insomnia. Fifty percent of cases do not have an identifiable cause (Ehrlich,2013). A noisy environment, extreme temperatures that range from a room being too hot or too cold, when someone’s surrounding environment changes due to a new career or a new baby in the house are all factors for the cause of short-term insomnia (Scholten,2012).
Biological factors such as stimulants used before bedtime, arthritis and other medical …show more content…

During Parkinson’s disease, the central nervous system is being attacked. Neurons in the substantia nigra part of the brain will die and will result in the low production of dopamine, which helps to control body movement. Therefore, muscle tension and movement will not be easily controlled and sleep will be disrupted. Patients usually have onset insomnia and wake up frequently because of tremors (Epstein, Mardon; p.247).
Epilepsy is the brain’s electrical activity going through sudden and brief changes in a recurrent fashion which makes someone twice as likely to acquire insomnia. One in four epileptic people have seizures that happen at night, causing problems with sleeping and feeling tired during the day (Epstein, p.248). These seizures can be mistaken for sleep parasomnias or psychiatric disorders due to how similar they are to each other (Epstein, p.248).
Alzheimer’s disease affects the brain’s intellectual functions due to the memory deteriorating and is the common cause of dementia. Sleep regulation is disrupted and sleep is in fragments during the night with a reduced period of deep REM sleep (Epstein,

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