Older adults are more wakeful and often return to a biphasic pattern of sleep similar to the toddler's sleeping pattern, which includes napping. Between one and two thirds of people with chronic insomnia have a diagnosable psychiatric illness. Depressive disorders, anxiety and panic disorders frequently are characterized by' insomnia. If these are the root causes, then a sleep disturbance may best be treated by addressing the underlying psychological disturbance. OSA occurs when the soft tissue in the upper airways closes in on itself and breathing stops for a few seconds or even minutes.
Breathing then resumes and is usually noisy.
Because sufferers are partially awakened when this occurs, they rarely experience restorative sleep. They frequently experience compelling motor restlessness resulting in an inability to remain still and when observed sleeping, they engage in spontaneous periodic leg movements. Another identifying characteristic of RLS is that symptoms are almost always worse in the evening or night time. Narcolepsy, a genetic disorder characterized by suddenly and unpredictably falling into REM sleep, is a third medical condition associated with insomnia. Other underlying medical disorders such as asthma, congestive heart failure or pain can also lead to insomnia.