There are several
types of insomnia. The types of insomnia can be based on the causes of insomnia, as well as how long it lasts.
Common types of insomnia that are based on cause include:
- Primary insomnia
- Secondary insomnia.
Types of insomnia that are based on how long it lasts and how often it occurs include:
There are many
insomnia causes. Some causes of insomnia are more likely to result in short-term insomnia, while others are more likely to cause chronic insomnia.
Short-term insomnia generally occurs in people who are temporarily experiencing one or more of the following:
- Stress
- Environmental noise
- Extreme temperatures
- Change in the surrounding environment
- Sleep/wake schedule problems, such as those due to jet lag
- Side effects of medication, particularly the medications that treat colds and allergies, heart disease, blood pressure, and pain.
Chronic insomnia is more complex and often results from a combination of factors, including underlying physical or mental disorders. One of the most common causes of chronic insomnia is
depression.
Other medical conditions than can cause insomnia include:
Chronic insomnia may also be due to behavioral factors, including:
- Drinking alcohol before bedtime
- Ingesting excessive amounts of caffeine
- Excessive napping in the afternoon or evening
- Chronic stress
- Expecting to have difficulty sleeping and worrying about it
- Smoking cigarettes before bedtime
- Irregular or continually disrupted sleep/wake schedules, as may occur with shift work.
In 20 percent of chronic insomnia cases, the cause of insomnia is unknown. This is known as primary insomnia.
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