"Dyssomnia" is a catch-all term for a wide range of sleeping disorders. Insomnia, odd sleeping patterns and waking up several times throughout the night all fall under the category of dyssomnia. Sleeping issues that are categorized under dyssomnia can be caused by a variety of problems, such as certain mental health disorders, drinking an excessive amount of caffeine during the day, and starting or stopping certain medications. The treatments for sleep disorders vary and are determined once a medical professional figures out why a person is having trouble sleeping.
Two common causes of dyssomnia are anxiety and depression. Some people who suffer from anxiety cannot become relaxed enough at night to fall asleep. Certain depressed patients may sleep too much during the day as a result of their illness and then suffer from insomnia at night as a result. Psychiatrists may choose to prescribe diazepam or another anti-anxiety mediation to help anxiety patients relax their bodies and minds so they can fall asleep at night. Depressed patients may benefit from exercise during the day to help them stay awake and may be prescribed an antidepressant medication such as amitriptyline to get rest at night.
Some people suffer from dyssomnia caused by their own behaviors during the day. Consuming food and drinks high in caffeine can severely impact a person's ability to fall asleep at night. It is important for people who have trouble sleeping to cut back on coffee, soda, chocolate and other stimulants. If a person feels he or she must consume these items, then it is best only to have them only in small amounts and early in the day. People who eliminate caffeine from their diets and still have trouble falling asleep at night should talk to their doctors about potential prescription medication solutions.
While some medications can be used to treat sleeping disorders, other medications can be the cause of dyssomnia. If a patient begins taking a new medication and notices a change in his or her sleeping pattern, then he or she should talk to the prescribing doctor. Some prescription medications should only be taken in the morning so patients do not experience insomnia and other side effects at night. People also need to be careful when they quit taking a medication. Patients should be slowly weaned off many antidepressant medications and, when a patient abruptly stops taking the medication, it can result in the inability to fall asleep.
