For example, changing shifts at work or traveling can disrupt your sleep-wake cycle. Major or long-lasting stress can lead to long-term insomnia. Being stressed can cause short-term insomnia. Many issues that affect your mental or physical health can disrupt sleep. You have a mental health or physical health condition.Because of changes in sleep patterns and health, it's more likely you'll have insomnia as you get older. Insomnia also is common during pregnancy. During menopause, night sweats and hot flashes often disrupt sleep. Changes in hormones during the menstrual cycle and in menopause may play a role. But you're more likely to have insomnia if: Nearly everyone has an occasional sleepless night. They want to go to bed later and sleep later in the morning. But some children and teens simply have trouble getting to sleep or resist a regular bedtime because their internal clocks are more delayed. Sleep problems may be a concern for children and teenagers too. This raises the chance of insomnia related to medicines. Older people typically use more prescription drugs than younger people do.

Sleep apnea and restless legs syndrome become more common with age. Issues that make it more likely that you'll need to urinate during the night, such as prostate or bladder problems, can disrupt sleep. Ongoing pain from conditions such as arthritis or back problems, as well as depression or anxiety, can disrupt sleep. Also, the less active you are, the more likely you may be to take a daily nap. A lack of activity can disrupt a good night's sleep. You may be less physically or socially active. But older people typically still need the same amount of sleep as younger people. With age, your internal clock often moves forward in time, so you get tired earlier in the evening and wake up earlier in the morning. Sleep often becomes less restful as you age, so noise or other changes in your surroundings are more likely to wake you. Alcohol may help you fall asleep, but it prevents deeper stages of sleep and often results in waking up in the middle of the night. Nicotine in tobacco products is another stimulant that can disrupt sleep. Drinking them in the late afternoon or evening can keep you from falling asleep at night. Coffee, tea, cola and other drinks that have caffeine are stimulants. This may keep you from falling asleep or getting back to sleep.

Restless legs syndrome causes a strong uncomfortable urge to move your legs when trying to fall asleep. Sleep apnea causes you to stop breathing at times during the night, disrupting your sleep. Examples of conditions linked with insomnia include ongoing pain, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), overactive thyroid, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. Many medicines available without a prescription, such as some pain medicines, allergy and cold medicines, and weight-loss products, contain caffeine and other stimulants that can disrupt sleep. Many prescription drugs can interfere with sleep, such as certain antidepressants and medicines for asthma or blood pressure. Insomnia often occurs with other mental health conditions. Waking up too early can be a sign of depression. Anxiety disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, may disrupt your sleep. This is when stomach acid backs up into the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach. But eating too much may cause you to feel uncomfortable while lying down. Having a light snack before bedtime is OK. Using computers or smartphones, playing video games, or watching TV just before bed can disrupt your sleep cycle. Other poor sleep habits include working, eating or watching TV while in bed. Poor sleep habits include going to bed and waking up at different times each day, taking naps, being too active before bedtime and having a sleep area that is not comfortable. Causes include feeling jet lag from traveling across multiple time zones, working a late or early shift, or changing shifts often. Disrupting these rhythms can lead to insomnia. Your body's 'internal clock,' known as circadian rhythms, guides things such as your sleep-wake cycle, metabolism and body temperature. Stressful life events, such as the death or illness of a loved one, divorce, or a job loss, also may lead to insomnia. Concerns about work, school, health, money or family can keep your mind active at night, making it hard to sleep. While treating the cause of your sleep problem may stop your insomnia, sometimes it can last for years.Ĭommon causes of long-term insomnia include: Long-term insomnia is usually due to stress, life events or habits that disrupt sleep. Insomnia may be the main problem or it may be related to other conditions.

Fatal familial insomnia treatment