Causes Of Insomnia

The most widespread sleep disorder is insomnia or lack of sleep, with up to half of the adult US population suffering from a lack of sleep, according to many researchers (and similar patterns seen in other countries). Insomnia is defined as "difficulty in falling asleep or staying asleep, or having unrefreshing sleep for one month (four weeks) or more"

There are three basic classifications of insomnia based on its duration:

1. Transient insomnia typically lasts for less than one week.

2. Acute insomnia is the lack of sleep for less than one month.

3. Chronic insomnia last longer than one month.

Since sleep disorders tend to run in the family, roughly 35% of those diagnosed with insomnia also have a family history with it. But there are other causes of chronic insomnia as well. Emotional, mental or even spiritual problems are often the root cause. Some disorders generally associated with chronic insomnia are anxiety, attention deficit disorder (ADD), clinical depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

On the other hand these emotional and psychological conditions may actually be caused by insomnia. It is difficult to determine if the sleep disorders cause the mental health problems or if the mental conditions cause the lack of sleep. Therefore it is generally understood that it is a combination of both psychological and physical conditions, or Psychophysiological Insomnia.

Psychophysiologic insomnia occurs when the circadian rhythem is disrupted by lack of sleep. The bed itself is no longer a symbol of rest and relaxation, but instead, symbolizes stress and anxiety. Sleep disorders often develop over a period of time, as night after night, the struggle to get to sleep continues until insomnia becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Some medical problems believed to cause chronic insomnia are allergies, arthritis, cancer, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), emphysema, hypertension, hyperthyroidism, epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, restless leg syndrome, fibromyalgia, and heart disease. Chronic pain, for obvious reasons, is likely to cause insomnia because it prevents the sufferer from sleeping.

Research shows that 10-15% of chronic insomnia cases are actually the result of substance abuse. Alcohol, muscle relaxers, pain killers, and cocaine are the most prevalent. Too much of anything may make you feel sleepy and fall to sleep initially, but when you wake, your sleep will not have refreshed you. People who abuse drugs or alcohol often have problems sleeping when they first start "drying out", and this often lasts for months or even years in some cases.

Sleep disorders are on the rise in our society. Some, like chronic insomnia, make it hard to identify the exact cause. By first modifying behaviors, diet and sleep routines, most people begin to see results. If choronic insomnia persists, seek the advice of a physician. Insomnia doesn't have to rob a person of their quality of life.

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