What Causes Insomnia?
Insomnia usually begins during a person’s late twenties or early thirties. Many people suffer for years before seeking help, and many simply treat themselves by using drugs or alcohol to help them sleep at night and by drinking a great deal of caffeine during the day to combat their sleepiness.
There are two primary symptoms of insomnia:
- Difficulty sleeping. People with insomnia have problems sleeping: trouble falling asleep at night, waking in the middle of the night, or waking up too early in the morning and not being able to return to sleep.
- Daytime fatigue. The result of not getting a good night’s sleep is being tired during the day. This can lead to a significant impact on daytime functioning at home, on the job, and socially. Although people with insomnia often feel fatigued, they usually are not excessively sleepy.
Other symptoms include:
- Effects on mood. Many people with insomnia feel depressed or anxious. They may be irritable and have little energy.
- Decreased attention and concentration. As a result of the sleep deprivation caused by insomnia, some people will have problems with concentration at work or at school, especially when listening to a lecture or in a meeting.
What Causes Insomnia?
Insomnia can have many different causes, which makes it different from the other sleep disorders discussed. Again, it is important to understand that not all people who have problems sleeping actually have insomnia. Many other sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea and restless legs syndrome, interfere with a person’s ability to fall asleep and thus are experienced as insomnia. For those who do have insomnia that is not the result of another sleep disorder, it can be the result of many factors.
For example, some people have insomnia as the result of anxiety or depression. However, most people’s insomnia is learned. Something happens that interferes with a person’s sleep, whether it is the birth of a baby, illness, pain, or shift work. Once the sleep becomes disturbed, it continues to be problematic because there is a continued association between sleeplessness and situations and behaviors that are associated with sleep, such as lying in bed.
Then lying in bed where you just spent several sleepless nights will cause you to feel tense and frustrated. These feelings will make it even more difficult to fall asleep. Once the pattern is established it can continue for months or years. Also, poor sleep habits often develop, such as spending too much time in bed, not keeping to a consistent bedtime and wake time, and napping during the day.
An additional problem can be negative thoughts about sleep and being unable to fall asleep. This is experienced by many insomniacs and also leads to a vicious cycle: the more you try to sleep, the more agitated you will become, and the less likely you will be able to fall asleep. Trying too hard to fall asleep can simply add to the problem. Also, thoughts such as “I will never be able to fall asleep” contribute to the problem.
