Insomnia Causes

There isn't a single cause of insomnia and a person's insomnia may result from a combination of causes. Acute insomnia (short term) is typically caused by emotional problems. If these problems are not corrected, acute insomnia can lead to chronic insomnia (lasts for a month or longer).

Primary insomnia causes

Primary insomnia is not directly due to another problem, such as a medical or emotional condition. People with primary insomnia continue to have trouble sleeping even after all known causes of their insomnia have been corrected.

It is believed that primary insomnia is triggered by a major or long-term medical or emotional condition. During this time, people develop bad sleeping habits, which prevent them from sleeping through the night. These habits include:

Going to bed too early
Taking naps during the day
Worrying at night that they won't be able to fall asleep

Correcting these bad habits often corrects their insomnia.

Secondary insomnia causes

Secondary insomnia may be due to one or more of the following causes:

Medical conditions

Medical conditions that can cause insomnia include:

AIDS, (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome)
Arthritis
Cancer
Cystitis (inflammation of the urinary bladder)
Degenerative nerve diseases (such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease, and Parkinson's disease)
Enlarged prostate
Fibromyalgia (inflammation of the body's connective tissue)
Heart or lung problems (such as heart failure and asthma)
Heartburn (gastroesophageal reflux disease, GERD)
Hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid gland)
Low back pain
Menopause or perimenopause (the years preceding menopause)

Sleep conditions

Sleep conditions that can cause insomnia include:

Sleep apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea causes people to stop and restart breathing during sleep.
Restless legs syndrome
Restless legs syndrome causes a person to feel unpleasant leg sensations (crawling, tingling, or aching), which primarily occur when at rest and can only relieved by moving their legs.
Periodic limb movement disorder
Periodic limb (leg) movement disorder causes a person's legs to repeatedly cramp or kick during sleep.

Emotional conditions

The following emotional conditions can cause people to develop sleep problems:

Anxiety
Stress
Depression
Grief (deep mental anguish that is primarily caused by the loss of a loved one, but may be caused by the loss of employment, valuables, home)

Pain

Pain due to a painful medical condition or an injury can keep people awake at night.

Medication side effects

Medications that cause insomnia include:

Beta-blockers (heart disease medication)
Levothyroxine sodium (thyroid medication)
Phenylpropanolamine (used in decongestants, bronchodilators, and appetite suppressants)
Theophylline (asthma medication)

Sleep medications or sedatives

People who take sleep medications or sedatives to treat their insomnia often have trouble sleeping when they suddenly stop taking these medications or if they take the medications for an extended period of time. Sleep medications and sedatives don't cure insomnia. Unless the cause of the insomnia is corrected, insomnia symptoms typically return when people stop taking these medications. Moreover, these medications become less effective at helping people sleep when used continuously.

Illegal drugs

Street drugs, such as amphetamines or cocaine, interfere with a person's ability to sleep.

Stimulants

When taken in the evening, the following stimulants can make it difficult for people to sleep at night:

Alcohol
Caffeine
Tobacco

Sleep routine disruptions

All living creatures have an internal clock (circadian rhythm) that controls different biological processes, such as sleeping, waking, heart rate, and metabolic rate. The following sleep routine disruptions can alter a person's internal clock and cause them to have trouble sleeping:

Alternating day-night work schedules
Night shifts
Long-distance travel (causes jet lag)

Environmental disturbances

The following environmental disturbances can make it difficult for people to sleep:

Bright light
Noise
Extreme temperature

Excitement or stimulation

Too much excitement or stimulation, especially in the evening, can cause people to have trouble falling asleep.

Light

A lack of exposure to bright light or sunlight can disrupt a person's internal clock (circadian rhythm) and cause them to have trouble falling asleep.

Napping

Sleeping too much during the day makes it difficult for people to fall asleep at night. It is believed that lengthy naps may disrupt a person's internal clock.

Age

Both the young and older adults may experience insomnia due to changes in their internal clocks. Some children and teenagers may not feel tired until several hours after their regularly scheduled bedtime due to delayed internal clocks. As a result, they have trouble falling asleep and getting up in the morning. In contrast, people develop advanced internal clocks after age 60, causing them to get tired earlier and wake up earlier in the morning.

As people age, they sleep more lightly, which causes them to wake up easily in the middle of the night. Various health conditions may also impact their ability to sleep through the night, such as menopause or an enlarged prostate. Although physical exercise helps older people fall asleep faster and sleep longer at night, many older adults don't get enough sufficient exercise due to illness or infirmity.

Back | Top | Next