Insomnia, a sleep disorder, can cause difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early. When you awaken, you may still be tired. Sleeplessness can affect your mood, energy levels, and work performance, as well as your health.
The amount of sleep required varies depending on the person. However, most adults need seven to eight hours per night.
Many adults will experience acute (short-term) insomnia lasting days or weeks. Stress or a traumatic experience is usually to blame. Some people have chronic insomnia, lasting up to a month. Insomnia can be a primary problem or be linked to other medical conditions.
Symptoms
Insomnia can manifest as:
- Sleeping problems at night
- Wake up in the middle of the night.
- Wake up too early
- Feeling tired after a good night’s rest
- Tiredness or sleepiness during the day
- Anxiety, depression, or irritability
- Attention problems, difficulty focusing or remembering tasks
- Accidents or errors are increasing.
- Sleeping problems: a persistent concern
When to visit a doctor
Consult your doctor if insomnia affects your ability to function in the daytime. Your doctor can help you identify the source of the problem and determine the best treatment. You may be sent to a sleep clinic for testing if your doctor suspects you have a sleeping disorder.
Causes
Insomnia may be the main problem or be associated with another condition.
Chronic insomnia can be caused by stress, events in life, or bad habits. The underlying cause of insomnia can be treated, but it may last for many years.
Chronic insomnia is caused by:
- Stress. Worries about work, school, finances, and health and safety concerns can keep you awake at night. Traumatic life events, such as the death of a loved one, divorce, or job loss, can also cause insomnia.
- Work or travel schedule. Circadian rhythms are your internal clock. They control things like sleep-wake cycles, metabolism, and body temperature. Insomnia can be caused by disrupting your circadian rhythms. Jet lag can be caused by traveling through multiple time zones or working late or early.
- Bad sleep habits. Bad sleep habits are irregular bedtimes, naps, stimulating activity before bed, and using the mattress to work, eat, or watch TV. Poor sleep habits include using your bed for work, eating, or watching TV.
- Too much eating late at night. A light snack is fine, but too much can make you uncomfortable when lying down. Heartburn is another common problem that can keep you up at night. It’s caused by stomach acid and food reflux into the esophagus.
Medical conditions or certain drugs can also cause chronic insomnia. The medical condition can be treated to improve sleep, but insomnia may persist even after the situation is resolved.
Other common causes of insomnia include
- Mental disorders. Sleep disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder can disrupt sleep. Early morning awakenings can be an indication of depression. Other mental disorders can also cause insomnia.
- Medicines. Some prescription drugs, like certain antidepressants or medications for blood pressure and asthma, can disrupt sleep. Some over-the-counter medicines, such as pain relievers, allergy and cold medication, and weight loss products, contain caffeine or other stimulants which can disturb sleep.
- Medical conditions. Conditions linked to insomnia include cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
- Sleep disorders. Sleep Apnea is a condition that causes you to stop your breathing at random intervals during the night. This disrupts your sleep. Restless legs syndrome is characterized by unpleasant sensations and an almost insatiable desire to move your legs. This can prevent you from falling asleep.
- Alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine are stimulants. Tea, coffee, and colas are stimulants, among other caffeinated beverages. You can’t fall asleep at night if you drink them late in the afternoon or evening. The nicotine in tobacco products can also interfere with sleep. Alcohol can help you fall asleep but also prevents deeper stages and causes frequent awakenings during the night.
Insomnia, aging, and sleep disorders
As you age, insomnia becomes more common. As you get older, you may experience:
- Changes to sleep patterns. As you age, your sleep becomes less restful, and you are more prone to be woken up by environmental noises or alterations. Your internal clock advances with age. You become tired earlier at night and awake earlier in the morning. Older people still require the same amount of sleep as younger ones.
- Changes to your activity. Your social or physical activities may have decreased. Lack of exercise can affect your sleep. The less active you are, the more likely you will nap every day, affecting your rest at night.
- Health changes. Chronic back pain, depression, or anxiety, as well as conditions like arthritis, can cause chronic pain. Sleep can be disrupted by issues that cause you to urinate more often at night, such as bladder or prostate problems. As we age, sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome become more prevalent.
- More medication. Older adults use more drugs than younger ones, increasing the risk of insomnia.
Insomnia among children and teenagers
Children and teens may also have sleep problems. Some children and teenagers have difficulty falling asleep or refuse to go to bed at a set time because their internal clocks run slower. They want to sleep in later and go to bed earlier.
Risk factors
Almost everyone experiences a sleepless night. You are more likely to suffer from insomnia if you:
- You are a woman. The hormonal shifts that occur during menstruation and menopause can play a part. Night sweats and hot flashes can disrupt sleep during menopause. Pregnancy is another common cause of insomnia.
- You are over 60 years old. As you age, your sleep problems will increase.
- A physical or mental illness disrupts your sleep.
- You are under a great deal of stress. Events and situations that cause you to be stressed can lead to temporary insomnia. Chronic insomnia can be caused by chronic stress or significant, long-lasting stresses.
- A change in a shift at work or travel disrupts your sleep-wake pattern.