Why You Can’t Sleep – Understanding The Cause of Insomnia

Many people all over the globe struggle with insomnia, which has to do with difficulties in sleeping. It can make it difficult to go to sleep, remain asleep, or have a good night’s sleep overall.

Finding solutions to better sleep and general health might be aided by gaining an understanding of the typical causes of insomnia. Let’s look at the scientifically-backed explanations for why we could have trouble sleeping.

Causes of Insomnia

Stress
Stress is known to be a major contributor to sleeplessness. The stress hormone cortisol increases wakefulness and alertness in the body. This could make it hard to unwind and get a good night’s rest.

Challenges at work, in the classroom, at home, or with money are just a few of the many potential sources of stress. A stressful night’s sleep is worsened by even the thought of not being able to sleep.

Anxiety
Anxiety is another leading cause of sleeplessness. Those who suffer from anxiety frequently find it difficult to relax and sleep while they’re worried. They may be anxious about the future or fixated on past issues as they lie in bed.

A person’s brain may not be able to wind down for sleep if they worry all the time. This issue might be exacerbated by anxiety disorders such as generalised anxiety disorder or panic disorder.

Depression
Insomnia is also associated with depression. Mood swings and disturbed sleep are common symptoms of depression. Problems with falling asleep, numerous nighttime awakenings, or an inability to settle back to sleep after waking up too early are all possible.

Fatigue, melancholy, and hopelessness are symptoms of depression, all of which can make it hard to fall or stay asleep.

Habit/Lifestyle
Insomnia can also be caused by certain aspects of one’s lifestyle. It can be challenging to keep to a regular sleep pattern when working shifts, particularly night or rotating shifts since they might throw off the body’s natural clock. As if disrupting regular sleep cycles wasn’t bad enough, travelling across multiple time zones can induce jet lag. In addition, recreational drug or alcohol abuse can impair sleep quality and eventually cause insomnia.

Experts agree that “poor sleep hygiene,” or irregular sleeping patterns, is a major contributor to insomnia. These habits include not sticking to a normal sleep schedule, napping heavily during the day, using electronic devices (such as phones and tablets) in the hours leading up to bedtime, and eating a large meal or drinking coffee right before bed.

The body’s natural sleep-wake cycle might be disturbed by these behaviours, making it difficult to obtain a good night’s sleep.

Health/Medical Factors
Insomnia can also be caused by some medical disorders. It could be challenging to discover a comfortable sleeping posture if you suffer from chronic discomfort, such as arthritis or back problems. Nighttime breathing issues might be brought on by allergies or asthma.

For instance, heartburn, a symptom of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD), can keep people awake at night. In addition, hyperthyroidism and other similar disorders can cause an increase in metabolism and difficulty sleeping.

Medication
Medication is another possible offender. A number of medications used to treat hypertension, asthma, depression, and anxiety have the potential side effect of preventing a good night’s rest.

For instance, some ADHD medications, including antidepressants and stimulants, could make it more difficult to go to sleep. Insomnia can be caused by even OTC drugs, such as decongestants.

Age
Age also has a role. The prevalence of insomnia seems to rise with age. Alterations to the typical sleeping schedule, such as becoming drowsy later in the day and rising earlier in the morning, are common among the elderly.

They might also have increased nighttime awakenings. Difficulty sleeping might be brought on by common health issues and drugs that older adults take.

Things around you can influence how well you sleep. A good night’s sleep is impossible to get in a stuffy or otherwise unpleasant bedroom. The quality of our sleep is affected by factors such as temperature, lighting, and the coziness of our mattresses and pillows.

Circumstances such as age, environmental circumstances, medical issues, pharmaceuticals, poor sleep patterns, anxiety, depression, and stress are among the numerous possible causes of insomnia. We may take action to enhance our sleep patterns and establish a more conducive atmosphere for healthy sleep by gaining an awareness of these prevalent causes.

In order to overcome insomnia and receive the excellent night’s sleep that we all need, it can make a great difference to make simple changes like controlling stress, having a regular sleep schedule, and creating a pleasant sleeping place.