6 Common Causes Of Insomnia
Oct 9, 2008 Insomnia
Insomnia is one of the most common sleep disorders seen today and is characterized by restlessness, frequent sleep interruptions, shorter than normal sleeping time and sometimes by complete wakefulness.
Apart from being extremely annoying, insomnia can cause sufferers to lose their energy and enthusiasm, develop memory and concentration problems and to feel lethargic and frustrated. This in turn can lead to a drop in work productivity and also to accidents which can have serious consequences.
There are a host of different things that can cause insomnia but here look at just 6 which are commonly linked to this sleep disorder:
1. The Environment
Our environment is extremely important when it comes to getting a good night's sleep and things like light, noise or extremes of temperature can cause insomnia.
2. Substance Abuse
The most obvious form of substance abuse when talking about insomnia is coffee, together with other drinks which are high in caffeine.
Smoking too might fall into this category as heavy or chain smokers consume more than sufficient quantities of nicotine to cause problems sleeping. However, what is perhaps less well known is that this list of substances is fairly long and even includes many herbal remedies which are taken for a range of different problems and which can cause insomnia as a side effect.
Finally, we must not forget alcohol. Although alcohol can often induce tiredness, initially once it is metabolized it too can keep you wide awake.
3. Disturbance To The Biological Clock
Each of us has our own body clock or circadian rhythm which is controlled in part by light and darkness and which regulates the body's sleep/wake cycle. If this clock is thrown out of balance by things like staying up all night studying in college, partying into the small hours or jetting off around the world on business or for pleasure, then you will suffer from sleeping difficulties while the clock slowly tries to re-adjust itself.
4. Activities Prior To Bedtime
There are a number of things which can lead to insomnia if they happen within a reasonably short time of going to bed. Two of the most common are taking vigorous exercise shortly before retiring or eating a large meal when you are just about to go to bed. Both of these activities stimulate the body's metabolism and thus keep you awake.
5. Health Problems
There are a large number of health problems that are known to induce insomnia including heart failure, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, ulcers, and Parkinson's disease.
Asthma is also being seen more and more as a cause of insomnia, as is the need for frequent urination, heartburn and chronic pain resulting from things like arthritis and leg cramps. The list of medical conditions which can cause insomnia is very long and also includes other types of sleep disorder such as sleep apnea as well as a range of psychiatric conditions.
6. Emotional Distress
We all suffer from emotional distress from time to time and this can often lead to us becoming anxious or angry. However, when we bottle our feeling up inside ourselves rather than talking about them and seeking a solution for them then this frequently results in insomnia.
These six causes of insomnia are the usually the reasons most of us can't get to sleep. Figuring out which one is causing your sleep problems can help you determine the best course of action.
Tags: causes of insomnia, Insomnia, sleep disorders, sleep problems, sleeping difficulties
10 Tips To Help Prevent Sleep Problems From Causing Bad Grades
Sep 29, 2008 Children Sleep Problems
It has been felt for some time now that too little or low quality sleep in teenagers leads to a drop in grades at school, however it was not until quite recently that a research study confirmed that teens with poor sleeping habits do in fact suffer from lower grades.
Here are 10 simple tips to make sure that an otherwise healthy child does not suffer from sleep problems and gets the level of sleep needed to do well in school.
1. Decide upon a regular time for going to bed and try not to vary this by more than a few minutes from day to day.
2. Make sure that you get up at the same time each morning, regardless of whether or not it is a school day. Teenagers commonly have a lie-in at the weekends and during school holidays and, rather than helping to make you feel better, this just disrupts your sleep pattern.
3. If you find that you are unable to get to sleep within approximately 20 minutes of climbing into bed then do not merely lie in bed trying to get to sleep, as the more you try the more difficult it will get. As an alternative, get up and do something like reading a book or listening to some relaxing music. As soon as you start to feel tired, climb back into bed and you should fall asleep in next to no time.
4. Do not be tempted to stay up late doing homework or getting ready for a test. Although this may appear to be the solution to a particular problem in the short term, and may keep you out of trouble for turning your homework in late or get you through a test, in the longer run your overall performance will fall and any shorter term gain will quickly be lost.
5. Do not be tempted to take a nap in the afternoon school. Should you find that you are so tired you cannot keep your eyes open then go ahead and take a nap but for no more than an hour.
6. Do not consume any type of drink that contains caffeine after 3 o’clock in the afternoon. This of course means tea and coffee, but also includes chocolate drinks and colas.
7. Do not eat a heavy meal close to going to bed. You obviously should not go to bed feeling hungry and having a light snack prior to bedtime is fine, but climbing into bed on a full stomach can make it difficult to fall asleep and affect your quality of sleep.
8. Although teenagers will sometimes spend a lot of time in their bedroom and turn it into more of a 'living' than a 'sleeping' room, avoid using the bed for anything other than sleeping. Do not sit in bed reading, writing, playing games, watching TV or anything else but keep it only for sleeping so that your body associates climbing into bed with going to sleep.
9. Avoid strenuous exercise within several hours of bedtime. If you want to play baseball or engage in other sporting or strenuous activities then do these shortly after finishing school and not an two or three hours before you go to bed.
10. When it comes to bedtime see that your bedroom is quiet, dark and cool. Do not close your bedroom up, turn up the heat and get into bed to watch TV. Rather, turn the heating down, open the window a bit if possible to allow in some fresh air and have the room as dark as possible.
Follow these 10 tips and within no time at all your quality of sleep will improve, you will feel much more awake and active during the day and your grades will improve.
Tags: Insomnia, sleep disorder, sleep problems
Do You Know What’s Keeping You Awake at Night?
Sep 23, 2008 Insomnia
There are many factors which might play a part in keeping you sleepless during the night. For instance, issues such as when you get out of bed in the morning and the time at which you fall sleep at night, as well as how long before bedtime you finished eating, can all impact a sound sleep. By simply examining your frame of mind or your worries and concerns, you might be able to figure out just what the cause of your insomnia is.
When you understand the source of your sleep troubles you will be in a better position to treat your insomnia, even though it might be the result of a health issue.
External Causes of Insomnia
Is your bedroom a haven of relaxation? Or is it merely an annex of your workplace? If you answered yes to the latter question, then it just might be your surroundings which are contributing to your insomnia. It's important that your bedroom be peaceful and calming.
Once you realize that your bedroom is not a soothing place, then you can work out how to transform it. Making it comfy and pleasant will help to put an end to your sleeplessness. Also, redecorate with light-blocking blinds or heavy drapery to keep out the light. This goes a long way towards curing insomnia.
Do you drink a lot of coffee throughout the day? If you have more than a couple cups, it's bound to aggravate your sleeping problems. Indeed, overindulging in caffeine or alcohol is a leading cause of chronic insomnia.
How's Your Health?
Coffee is a real problem, but the reason for your insomnia could be considerably more alarming than that. It might be a medical condition which is keeping you up at night, especially if you have just received the news of a problem from your doctor.
The bad news and your awareness of the problem might keep you anxious and awake when you should be sleeping. Heart disease, hypertension, and Parkinson's are just a few of the diseases which contribute to insomnia.
If you think there's a possibility that you might have any of these diseases then you should make an appointment with your physician to find out for sure, especially if you've made unsuccessful efforts to unwind before bed in calm and peaceful surroundings.
Insomnia is often ignored as a minor inconvenience, but it might indeed be disguising a more severe illness. It's important to find the causes of insomnia.
Keira Adams is a health and wellness writer who is a frequent contributor to Insomnia Relief, where you can learn all about the causes, cures and treatments for insomnia.
Tags: causes of insomnia, Insomnia, sleep problems
