Insomnia Causes

Insomnia Information

What Causes Insomnia?

Many different things can cause insomnia. Some factors are more likely to result in short-term insomnia, while others are more likely to cause chronic insomnia.

Causes of Short-Term Insomnia

Short-term insomnia (acute or transient) lasts only a few days and is usually not a reason for concern. Several things can cause this condition. These types of insomnia generally occur in people who are temporarily experiencing one or more of the following factors:

Stress
Environmental noise
Extreme temperatures
Change in the surrounding environment
Sleep/wake schedule problems, such as those due to jet lag
Medication side effects, particularly of medications that treat the following:

Colds and allergies
Heart disease
Blood pressure
Thyroid disease

Pain.

Causes of Chronic Insomnia

Chronic (long-term) insomnia is diagnosed when a person has insomnia at least three nights a week for one month or longer. This condition is more complex and often results from a combination of factors, including underlying physical or mental disorders. One of the most common causes is depression.

Other medical conditions that can cause insomnia include:

Chronic insomnia may also be due to behavioral factors, including:

Experiencing chronic stress
Expecting to have difficulty sleeping and worrying about it
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, as may occur with shift work.

These behaviors may prolong existing insomnia, and they can also cause it in the first place. Stopping these behaviors may eliminate this condition altogether.

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