Factors That Cause Insomnia
Insomnia can be defined as the inability to obtain fall asleep for a prolonged period of time. You can also have a sense of feeling tired during the day or falling asleep during the day, not feeling refreshed when you wake up, and waking up several times during your sleep. Insomnia can make you feel restless, agitated, and frustrated. Insomnia has several causes ranging from sleep, medical, physical, psychological, and psychiatric disorders. Insomnia can also be caused by temporary events or factors.
The most common psychological causes of insomnia are:
Anxiety
Anxiety is caused when someone feels increased tension, apprehension, and feelings of helplessness, fear, worry, and uncertainty. Anxiety is goes hand and hand with stress in situations such as financial problems, examinations, troubled relationships, and other undesired circumstances.
Stress
Stress is how a person copes with any emotional, physical, social, or economic change. The events that cause stress are called stressors. They can range from anything from physical danger to making a class presentation or taking a really hard class.
Depression
Depression occurs when one has prolonged sad feelings.
The most common physical causes of insomnia are:
Hormonal changes in women
Hormonal changes include premenstrual syndrome, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. These hormonal changes can also cause imbalances in emotions and mood swings.
Decreased melatonin
Melatonin is a hormone that helps control sleep. The levels decrease as a person ages. By the time a person is a senior citizen, the body produces very little melatonin.
Certain medical conditions
These include allergies, arthritis, asthma, heart disease, high blood pressure, hyperthyroidism, and Parkinson's disease.
Pain
Pain from a medical illness or injury can prevent sleep. If the pain is unbearable, try taking pain killers or consulting a doctor.
Other sleep disorders
Sleep apnea is another common sleep disorder. It occurs when one temporarily stops breathing during sleep. There is also periodic leg and arm movements in which one's muscles excessively twitch or jerk.
The most common temporary events or factors of insomnia are:
Stressful events
Lack of sleep can be caused by a traumatic event such as an illness or loss of a loved one. It can also be caused by a change in the weather or an argument with someone.
Jet lag
Travel across different time zones can cause insomnia.
Working the night shift or long shifts
Workers that work the night shift or work long hours can have trouble sleeping.
Medications
Insomnia can be a side effect of various medications, both prescription and over-the-counter.
Overuse of caffeine and alcohol
Excessive intake of caffeine and alcohol can effect sleep.
Other factors
Insomnia can be caused by environmental noise, extreme temperatures, or a change in a person's surrounding environment.