Insomnia and its Causes

Insomnia is a condition that is characterized by difficulty in falling asleep or peacefully staying asleep for that period of time. People suffering from insomnia do not feel fresh when they wake up.

The causes of insomnia vary according to the person and his lifestyle. Some of them are listed as below,

1. Life stress.
2. Illness.
3. Emotional or physical discomfort.
4. Environmental factors like noise,light or extreme temperatures.
5. Medications.
6. Depression.

Insomnia is not a serious condition medically but it affects the patient’s work and social life. The time period of this disease depends on the lifestyle or emotional status of the person. One can work in a number of ways to fall asleep more easily,

1. Exercising in the morning or an hour before bedtime.
2. Taking a warm bath or drinking a glass of warm milk before bed.
3. Medicines can be taken for a stressful situation causing insomnia.

The factor’s that increase a person’s chance of developing insomnia are,

Gender : It is common in both the sexes. But older men are more prone to insomnia than older women.

Age : People more than age of 65 complaint more about sleeplessness.

Medications : People suffering from arthritis, ulcers, urinary disorders, heart conditions and other conditions causing pain or discomfort are more likely to get insomnia. It is also a side effect of many common medications and caffeine.

Childhood fears : Children prone to nightmares and fear experience a long term insomnia.

Lifestyle : People who travel cross time zones, night shift workers are high at risk to insomnia. Smoking, overuse of alcohol or other stimulants, high intake of caffeine are also some causes. One new phenomenon contributing is Internet addiction.