Certain conditions seem to make individuals more likely to experience insomnia. Examples of these conditions include:
- Advanced age (insomnia occurs more frequently in those over age 60)
- Female gender
- A history of depression
There are a number of possible causes of insomnia:
- Jet lag
- Shift work
- Wake-sleep pattern disturbances
- Grief
- Depression or major depression
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Exhilaration or excitement
- Bed or bedroom not conducive to sleep
- Nicotine, alcohol, caffeine, food, or stimulants at bedtime
- Aging
- Excessive sleep during the day
- Excessive physical or intellectual stimulation at bedtime
- Overactive thyroid
- Taking a new drug
- Alcoholism
- Inadequate bright-light exposure during waking hours
- Abruptly stopping a medication
- Medications or illicit drugs
- Withdrawal of medications
- Interference with sleep by various diseases
- Restless leg syndrome
- Stroke
- Menopause and hot flashes
- Gastrointestinal disorders, such as heartburn
- Conditions that make it hard to breathe
- Conditions that cause chronic pain, such as arthritis
Transient and intermittent insomnia generally occur in people who are temporarily experiencing one or more of the following:
- Stress
- Environmental noise
- Extreme temperatures
- Change in the surrounding environment
- Sleep/wake schedule problems such as those due to jet lag
- Medication side effects
Chronic insomnia is more complex and often results from a combination of factors, including underlying physical or mental disorders. One of the most common causes of chronic insomnia is depression. Other underlying causes include arthritis, kidney disease, heart failure, asthma, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome, Parkinson's disease and hyperthyroidism. However, chronic insomnia may also be due to behavioral factors, including the misuse of caffeine, alcohol or other substances; disrupted sleep/wake cycles that may occur with shift work or other nighttime lifestyles; and chronic stress.
Some behaviors may prolong existing insomnia, and they can also be responsible for causing the sleeping problem in the first place:
- Worrying about the upcoming difficulty sleeping
- Ingesting excessive amounts of caffeine
- Drinking alcohol before bedtime
- Smoking cigarettes before bedtime
- Excessive napping in the afternoon or evening
- Irregular or continually disrupted sleep/wake schedules
Stopping these behaviors may eliminate the insomnia.
