Insomnia is a lack of sleep that occurs on a regular or frequent basis, often for no apparent reason.
Insomnia affects your energy level and mood, and your health as well because sleep helps bolster your immune system. Fatigue caused by sleep deprivation leads to lowered mental alertness and concentration. The lack of sleep caused by insomnia is linked to accidents on the road and on the job.
www.mayoclinic.com enlists some of the causes of insomnia as follows:
- Stress: Stress related to work, health or family prevents the mind from relaxing. Excessive boredom, such as during a long illness also causes stress and can keep you awake.
- Anxiety: Everyday anxieties or severe anxiety disorders can prevent sleep.
- Depression: Depression can cause either too much sleep or lack of sleep, due to chemical imbalances in the brain, or excessive worries.
- Stimulants: A number of medications can interfere with sleep, including antidepressants, high blood pressure medications, decongestants and weight loss products.
- Change in environment or work schedule: Travel or working night shifts disrupts the body’s circadian rhythms, making it hard to sleep when you want to.
- Long term use of sleep medications, which often become less effective over time.
- Medical conditions that cause pain, such as arthritis, fibromyalgia and neuropathies.
- Behavioral insomnia: This occurs when you worry excessively about not being able to sleep well.
- Eating too much too late in the evening: A feeling of heaviness or heartburn may cause discomfort and prevent sleep.
- Inherited condition: If you have inherited poor sleep tendency, take care not to overexcite yourself in the evening.
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