How Does Kidney Disease Cause Insomnia

Insomnia and kidney disease seem to have no connection, so it would be natural for people to ask, "How does kidney disease cause insomnia?"  The early stages of chronic kidney disease can cause insomnia. In the early stages of renal disease the patient may experience insomnia as the body’s toxins invade the organs and bloodstream because of the kidneys' failure to process them.  Simple insomnia may be indicative of an underlying, more serious condition.  Lack of sleep is often related to heart disease, but is also a common symptom of early stage kidney disease.   Insomnia and sleep interruption disorders such as apnea may be indicators of chronic kidney disease.  The cause of this is due, in part, to the increased presence of toxins in the body.  As kidney disease advances, the patient experiences high blood pressure as an underlying result of the failure of the kidneys to function properly.  Chronic high blood pressure can put a stress on the heart, which, in turn, causes chemicals in the brain to inhibit sleep.
 
As kidney failure progresses, the heart and other organs become stressed and struggle to perform properly as they try to make up for the kidney's failure to function correctly.  Chronic insomnia and sleep deprivation puts an additional stress on the heart and organs and cause additional distress to the body.  Additionally, this disorder can reveal underlying conditions that can exacerbate the kidney disease.

Renal patients on dialysis may experience insomnia due to leg cramps and leg pain at night.  Patients on dialysis may also feel a need to kick or jerk their legs, which is disruptive to their own sleep as well as their partner's sleep.  This is attributed to biochemical and metabolic changes brought on by the dialysis.  Some patients may be given medication as treatment for the insomnia.  It is important that patients view chronic insomnia as more than just an irritating disorder that does not allow sleep, but as a clue to an underlying, possibly more serious condition.

See Also: How to Adjust Your CPAP Machine - Wake Up Refreshed and Ready To Take On The World

About The Author:
Kerri Iamele is a successful author and regular contributor to sleep-disorders-help.com.