Causes
Insomnia can be caused by drugs, disease, pain, changes in habits and schedules,
stress, depression, or brain damage. For some, no clear cause of the insomnia
can be found.
Some of the more likely causes of the various types of insomnia include:
Sleep rhythm reversal:
- changing working hours, especially night shift
- air travel, especially west to east
- excessive alcohol use
- medications such as stimulants, diuretics, and nicotine replacements
- obstructive sleep apnea
- damage to the hypothalamus (the brain's internal clock) by encephalitis,
stroke, Alzheimer's disease, or trauma
- caffeine
Delayed sleep phase syndrome:
- you may not be active enough during the day to tire yourself by bedtime
- the hypothalamus may be damaged or may simply produce slightly longer cycles
than usual
Early morning awakening:
- depression and anxiety are often linked to this condition
- it tends to appear in seniors, with or without depression
- alcohol can also cause early morning awakening
Initial insomnia:
- any of the factors listed above can also cause initial insomnia
- emotional distress, significant life changes whether adverse (e.g., work
or relationship problems) or positive (e.g., work or relationship "success")
can lead to initial insomnia
- restless leg syndrome is the medical name for a problem that's quite
common in people over 50 years of age. It appears to run in families. The
legs produce strange sensations that people find impossible to describe, usually
starting in the evening. Moving the legs often provides temporary relief,
but sleep may be postponed.
- very often, insomnia is the only symptom or problem and no cause can be
found - this is called primary insomnia