Insomnia is one of the most common conditions around the world! The causes of insomnia vary from person to person depending on overall health and lifestyle. Insomnia can cause sleep disturbances in the hours when an individual finally manages to fall asleep only to find themselves waking up again. Fortunately, knowing the general causes can help find solutions and get regular and restful sleep, as we will discover in this article.
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What are the common causes of insomnia?
The struggle with insomnia can last for days, weeks or even months. The reasons for not being able to sleep can be daily or due to persistent issues whose solutions are not yet known. One of the dangers of insomnia is that it can turn into a chronic condition with uncontrollable sleeplessness, causing daily fatigue and lethargy that affects studies and work. Here are the most common causes:
Stress and anxiety: Relationship issues, work stress, financial issues, or even worrying about even the simplest of everyday issues can lead to not getting enough sleep and make the brain feel like it’s racing.
Medications: that may affect sleep include: Antidepressants, medications to treat heart disease and blood pressure, anti-allergy medications, stimulants, corticosteroids
Increased activity in the brain: Some brains are more active at night, which is why many people prefer to study or complete work tasks in the middle of the night.
Unhealthy lifestyle: Late-night cell phone screen time can lead to little to no sleep, and eating a heavy dinner and drinking caffeinated beverages can lead to sleep disturbances and insomnia.
Medical conditions: Chronic pain, hormonal changes, and respiratory issues all play a role in sleep issues, as well as mental health disorders such as severe depression and overthinking.
Traveling or work schedule: Your body’s “internal clock” known as circadian rhythms directs things like your sleep-wake cycle, metabolism, and body temperature. Disrupting these rhythms can lead to insomnia. Causes include jet lag from traveling across multiple time zones, late or early work shifts, or work schedules that change frequently.
Types of Insomnia
You may be wondering why you can’t fall asleep despite being very sleepy? We have already mentioned the common causes of insomnia, but this condition varies depending on the type. According to experts, there are actually three main types of insomnia, as follows:
1. Acute insomnia
The following are characteristics that characterize acute insomnia:
- Acute insomnia ends in a period of no more than a month, as the insomnia ends with the end of the condition or adaptation to its presence.
- It is referred to as an adaptive type of insomnia.
- This type occurs under stressful circumstances, such as: Working at a new job, or approaching an exam.
2. Transient insomnia
Transient insomnia differs from other insomnia in the following:
- It lasts for a very short period of time, not more than a week.
- Transient insomnia is caused by exposure to other illnesses or circumstances such as: Changing the living environment, feeling stressed, or being depressed from a certain circumstance
3. Chronic insomnia
Chronic insomnia has distinctive characteristics:
- Chronic insomnia lasts for an extended period of time that exceeds a month.
- Chronic insomnia is associated with the presence of other diseases or psychological conditions that cause it.
- Chronic insomnia is associated with certain causative factors.
Other ways to describe types of insomnia
Although the types of insomnia are mainly divided by time period, we can describe the types of insomnia in the following ways
1. Sleep Onset Insomnia
A person with this type of insomnia has difficulty falling asleep at night despite multiple attempts to fall asleep, and most patients are finally able to fall asleep after half an hour of attempts, as well as experiencing short sleep duration and feeling tired upon waking up the next day.
2. Sleep Maintenance Insomnia
In this type of insomnia, the patient suffers from interrupted sleep, waking up at night for half an hour before going back to sleep, and this type of insomnia negatively affects the quantity and quality of sleep.
3. Early Morning Awakening Insomnia
A person with insomnia wakes up earlier than others or earlier than scheduled, and not getting enough hours of sleep affects mental and physical activities the next day.
4. Mixed Insomnia
We can’t really describe insomnia separately, as the patient experiences insomnia when going to sleep and waking up at night or even waking up early.
5. Comorbid Insomnia
The patient may suffer from insomnia due to other illnesses, such as: Stress, depression, sleep apnea, heartburn, and physical aches and pains.
Causes of poor sleep in women
The following conditions can cause insomnia in women:
Menstrual cycle: Insomnia before menstruation is common, due to symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and hormonal changes such as low progesterone.
Pregnancy: It is common for pregnant women to suffer from insomnia, especially during the last trimester of pregnancy; they will not feel comfortable sleeping due to the size of their belly and other changes they are going through.
Menopause: At this age, women experience night sweats and hot flashes, and these symptoms can cause insomnia.
Polycystic ovaries: The hormonal changes caused by cysts negatively affect sleep and make women more susceptible to sleep apnea.
Causes of insomnia and lack of sleep in the elderly
The elderly are more likely to suffer from insomnia, due to:
Changing sleep patterns: Older people are less comfortable sleeping and wake up quickly at the slightest noise, as well as the effect of aging on the body’s circadian rhythm.
Their level of physical activity changes: They are less physically active compared to young people, and it is known that inactivity and inactivity cause sleep disturbance at night.
Having a number of health conditions: Older people often suffer from diseases such as dementia and arthritis, which are a cause of insomnia.
Take more medications: They are more likely to suffer from medication-induced insomnia.
The effect of lack of sleep on the brain
Insomnia affects brain and immune health, as well as memory and impairs the storage of even the simplest information, causing challenges when studying or working in a mentally demanding job. Insomnia can affect your mental state, causing you to focus on issues and stresses instead of being able to find solutions. It can also lead to heart disease and high blood pressure if neglected, which is why we advise you to consult a doctor in extreme cases.
10 Tips to get rid of insomnia
Lack of sleep can be treated, especially in severe cases (non-sustained insomnia), and here are some solutions you can try in order to get a good night’s sleep:
- Time management
Waking up and going to bed at the same time every day programs the body to sleep better. It is advisable to choose to go to bed at the time you are most likely to feel sleepy.
- Create a comfortable sleeping environment
The bedroom should be designated for rest and sleep, and should be kept as quiet and dark as possible, not too cold or too hot. The temperature, lighting and noise should be adjusted so that the atmosphere of the room is conducive to falling (and staying) asleep.
- Making sure the bed is comfortable
It is difficult to get a good night’s sleep on a mattress that is too soft or hard, or on a bed that is too small or too old. It is also advisable to move a pet that sleeps in the same bedroom to another location if it makes noise at night.
- Exercise regularly
Regular moderate exercise, such as swimming and walking, can help relieve some of the stress of the day. However, vigorous exercise should not be practiced close to bedtime, as it can make you feel less sleepy.
- Minimize caffeine
Stimulants such as caffeine in tea or coffee should be avoided, especially at night, as it interferes with sleep and prevents deep sleep. The effects of caffeine can last for a long time (up to 24 hours), so there is a high risk of interfering with sleep. A warm milky drink or herbal tea is recommended instead.
- Don’t overdo it
Eating too much food or drinking alcohol, especially late at night, can disrupt sleep. Alcohol may initially help you fall into a deep sleep, but it will later lead to difficulty falling asleep at night.
- Don’t smoke
Smoking has a bad effect on sleep. Smokers take longer to fall asleep, wake up more often during sleep, and their sleep is often interrupted.
- Relax before going to bed
Taking a warm bath, listening to soothing music or performing gentle yoga is recommended to relax the brain and body. Your doctor may be able to recommend a relaxation CD.
- Writing down worries
Big worries or tasks can be dealt with by writing a list of things that need to be done the next day. People who have a tendency to lie in bed and think about the next day’s tasks should set aside time before bed to recall and plan the next day’s tasks. The goal is to avoid doing this when trying to fall asleep.
- Avoid worrying at bedtime
When you can’t sleep, don’t lie in bed and worry about it. Rather, you should get up and do something relaxing, until you feel sleepy again, then you can go back to bed.
Frequently asked questions
What are the causes of poor sleep in men?
The causes of insomnia in men are no different from what we mentioned earlier.
What foods help you fall asleep?
Bananas because they are high in magnesium, as well as eating walnuts and berries.
What are the best drinks before bedtime?
Relaxing drinks, such as anise and chamomile.
What vitamin deficiency causes insomnia?
Vitamin D.
Conclusion
There are many causes of insomnia, including stress, unhealthy sleep habits, excessive caffeine intake, sleep disorders, diseases and some medications, while women may suffer from insomnia for reasons such as pregnancy or menopause, and healthy sleep habits may be enough to treat insomnia if it is mild.
