What Causes Insomnia?

Mental Health Monday

Insomnia is a symptom of many different sleep disorders, it is the difficulty to fall asleep or stay asleep, but what causes it?

• Stress/Anxiety
• Depression (can cause excessive sleep as well)
• Medications- antidepressants, heart and blood pressure medications, allergy medications, stimulants (such as Ritalin) and corticosteroids. Many over-the-counter (OTC) medications, including some pain medication combinations, decongestants and weight-loss products, contain caffeine and other stimulants.
• Caffeine, nicotine and alcohol- Alcohol is a sedative that may help you fall asleep, but it prevents deeper stages of sleep and often causes you to awaken in the middle of the night.
• Medical conditions- arthritis, cancer, congestive heart failure, diabetes, lung disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), overactive thyroid, stroke, Parkinson disease and Alzheimer's disease.
• Change in your schedule
• Learned insomnia-  This may occur when you worry excessively about not being able to sleep well and try too hard to fall asleep. Most people with this condition sleep better when they're away from their usual sleep environment or when they don't try to sleep, such as when they're watching TV or reading.
• Hormone shifts- like the ones right before menstruation and during menopause
• Mental disorders- like bipolar disorder
• Parasites…lol, don’t let the bed bugs bite!

58% of  Americans report having insomnia a few nights every week or more. Insomnia gets worse as people age since you generally need less sleep the older you are.

While I don’t think I suffer from insomnia, it  does take me longer than most people to fall asleep, usually around 30-60 minutes, and I sleep very lightly when I do fall asleep. I take a medication to help me fall asleep and stay asleep, its been a godsend.

Are any of you insomniacs?

 

Check out Confessions of a Moody Mommy for her Good Day Tuesday.