What Causes Insomnia?
Insomnia is a disorder that affects people of all ages and can occur at any time. It affects the sufferer by either preventing them from sleeping at all or causing a broken sleep that leaves them feeling tired. Insomnia isn’t a separate condition; in fact it is a symptom of other existing health issues of the mind and body. As a result, evaluating the symptoms of an individual’s particular case of insomnia can be especially helpful in tracing what causes insomnia in that individual, which helps to determine the best form of treatment for that individual.
Determining What Causes Insomnia
Before we can establish the causes of insomnia we need to look at the three classifications of the disorder.
- Transient: This form of insomnia is usually intermittent and caused by changes of environment. It may be caused by sleeping in a hotel or another strange bed or disturbing sounds that prevent relaxation.
- Short Term: This form usually last no more than 3 weeks and is caused by stress or other emotionally powerful circumstances. The sufferer is anxious and has trouble getting their mind to relax for rest.
- Chronic: This form of insomnia causes 3 nights of restless sleep a week for at least a month’s span. There are two forms of chronic insomnia: Primary which is when it is the patient’s only problem and secondary when the patient suffers from insomnia as a result of an emotional or psychiatric disorder or drugs. Restless leg syndrome and sleep apnea are examples of secondary insomnia.
Establishing what causes insomnia in a particular patient narrows the type of treatment to a more specific area. It can also establish if medication is necessary or whether natural remedies for insomnia are a better alternative.
What are the Causes of Insomnia?
- Medical Problems: Those who suffer from medical problems may develop insomnia as a result of the chronic pain, stress and in some cases the medication used to treat their condition. Individuals who suffer from tumors, stroke, asthma, arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep apnea, heart disease, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s patients are all susceptible to insomnia.
- Stress: Stress is the single most prominent factor in most insomnia patients’ condition. When the mind focuses heavily on the stresses a person deals with, it may be unable to relax and this makes it much harder to rest.
- Menopause: The hormonal changes a woman goes through during menopause make her susceptible to insomnia due to added stress, mood swings and irregular body temperature or night sweats.
- Anxiety: A mind that seems to “run a million miles a second” and a body that is tense make getting a good night’s sleep difficult. A person suffering from anxiety is at a higher risk for insomnia because of the adrenaline running through their system and the added stress put on their system.
- Drugs, Medicine, Alcohol: heart and blood medications, stimulants, alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, allergy medications, cocaine, ephedrine, meth, and amphetamines are all drugs that can affect the sleep/wake cycle.
- Psychological: Bipolar disorder, mania and Schizophrenia are also all causes of insomnia.
It is important to remember that even if you know what causes insomnia, it is advisable to consult your doctor before taking any medication to overcome it. Medication taken arbitrarily can have severe side effects and can often make the insomnia even worse.
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