Insomnia Causes

Insomnia Causes can be broadly divided into acute insomnia causes and chronic insomnia causes.

Acute insomnia causes include:

• Significant life stress (job loss or change, death of a loved one, moving)
• Health disorders such as diabetes, heart failure, hyperthyroidism, ulcers, and Parkinson's disease can also induce insomnia. Asthma may also be one health problem that makes one prone to insomnia
• Emotional or physical discomfort; more particularly when it is from internalized anxiety or anger, emotional problems can easily trigger this sleep disorder.
• Environmental factors like noise, light, or extreme temperatures (hot or cold) that interfere with sleep. Extreme temperatures can disrupt one's sleeping patterns. Noise and bright lights can have the same effect too.
• Interferences in normal sleep schedule (jet lag or switching from a day to night shift, for example). One’s body clock, when altered, can damage the amount of sleep one can peacefully enjoy.

All these above factors are acute insomnia causes. When it comes to chronic insomnia causes, the following are the causes of insomnia.

Chronic insomnia Causes include:

1. Emotional Distress

One of the main chronic insomnia causes is emotional distress. More particularly when it is from internalized anxiety or anger, emotional problems can easily trigger this sleep disorder.

Concerns about work, school, health or family can keep your mind too active, making you unable to relax. Excessive boredom, such as after retirement or during a long illness, may occur and also can create stress and keep you awake.

2. Substance Abuse

Another one of the chronic insomnia causes is substance abuse.

Prescription drugs, including some antidepressant, high blood pressure and corticosteroid medications, can interfere with sleep.

Drinking too much coffee, colas or other "energy-upper drinks" are insomnia causes.

Caffeine from these drinks is one of the main insomnia causes. Chain smokers can also be easy victims of insomnia because of the nicotine that cigarettes contain. Herbal remedies, alcohol and other medications can also make one prone to becoming an insomniac.

Some may think that alcohol, when consumed, can make one feel drowsy. But little did they know that in the long run, when the alcohol gets metabolized, sudden wakefulness would follow.

3. Biological Clock Disturbance

Biological clock disturbance is also one more insomnia cause. Biological clock disturbance is also known as circadian rhythm, one's body clock, when altered, can damage the amount of sleep one can peacefully enjoy.

This body clock disturbance can be caused by an irregular slumber schedule because of too much siesta or partying too late at night. It can also be jetlag or body clock disturbance due to traveling by plane to some place where there is a different time zone.

Other insomnia causes may be the graveyard schedules of workers and cramming review season for students induced by exams.

4. Environmental Factors

Extreme temperatures can disrupt one's sleeping patterns. Noise and bright lights can have the same effect too. Homesickness or when one is forced to sleep in an unfamiliar place is also one reason behind getting into the habit of not having enough sleep. All these environmental factors are chronic insomnia causes.

5. Health Problems

Health disorders such as diabetes, heart failure, hyperthyroidism, ulcers, and Parkinson's disease are insomnia causes. Asthma may also be one health problem that makes one prone to insomnia because of an asthmatic's shortness of breath.

Frequent urination, heartburn, and chronic pain from leg cramps, toothache and arthritis can also cause insomnia. Psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia and depression are also possible culprits for insomnia. Snoring with prolonged pauses in breathing while at sleep, also known as sleep apnea can also cause insomnia.

A periodic arm and leg movement during sleep causing the muscles to twitch excessively is one underlying cause of this sleep disorder. Another insomnia cause is narcolepsy or one's lack of control on whether to stay awake or to fall asleep, is another cause of this sleep disorder.

6. Pre-bedtime Activities

One of the chronic insomnia causes is Pre-bedtime activity. Engaging to vigorous activities such as exercise just right before bedtime can deprive one of a good night's sleep.

Consuming large meals when one is just about to sleep can also make one experience this sleeping disorder. This is because when metabolism is at its most active thus the body prompts one to stay awake. All these above factors are the important chronic insomnia causes.