What are the causes of insomnia

 Causes of insomnia

It should be noted that insomnia can be acute or chronic. So acute insomnia lasts several days or a few weeks and usually results from exposure to psychological pressures or traumatic events, whereas chronic insomnia lasts a month or more, and insomnia can generally be a basic problem in itself.  , or may be associated with health conditions. Or some medications, and in fact there are many different reasons that can lead to insomnia, and we describe some of them below:

     life practices

There are many incorrect lifestyle practices that can lead to insomnia, and the following is a description of some of them:

     Stress and Pressure – Exposure to a traumatic life event can lead to; Such as the death of a family member, job loss, illness or suffering from insomnia, in addition to the psychological pressure derived from study and work, and physical conditions, which leads to thinking too much at bedtime and having difficulty sleeping. .  Travel or the nature of work: the biological clock, or what is known as the circadian rhythm, regulates the sleep cycle and many vital processes in the body, so its interruption can lead to insomnia, and this disorder can be associated to travel or work late in the morning.  at night, or following the shift system at work.

Poor sleep habits: such as using your bed outside of bedtime to work or watch TV, having an irregular sleep regimen, and sleeping in an uncomfortable environment.

Sleep pattern changes with age: The sleep cycle naturally varies with age, such that a person begins to feel sleepy earlier at night and begins to wake up earlier in the morning, in addition to what accompanies at age, a decrease in depth ratio. .  asleep; What facilitates waking up if sounds are heard or some changes occur in the surrounding environment, and as is known, advanced age can be accompanied by diseases and the consequent use of medications; As this has an effect on the ability to sleep, it should be noted that aging is associated with a lack of activity and multiple naps during the day, which leads to difficulty sleeping at night. 

     Drinking alcohol: Despite the calming effect of alcohol in the short term, it causes many disorders that lead to insomnia in the long term, and also causes a disturbance in the natural sleep cycle, including waking up before getting enough sleep, and drinking alcohol .  It can cause more frequent urination at night due to its diuretic properties.

     Caffeine – Due to the stimulating effect of caffeine, consuming a caffeinated beverage before bed can lead to insomnia and difficulty falling asleep. Drinking these drinks six hours before bedtime or for a longer period is suggested to prevent the effect of caffeine on sleep in many people.

     Smoking and nicotine: The nicotine in cigarettes has a stimulant effect similar to caffeine, and one of its side effects is insomnia, and due to the decreased effect of nicotine in the morning before waking up, this can lead to symptoms of withdrawal and the onset of withdrawal symptoms.  Sleep disturbances during this period, in addition to sleep rhythm, are less in smokers than in non-smokers.

     Cocaine addiction: Cocaine abuse is associated with addiction, insomnia and loss of the ability to feel pleasure, in addition to the stimulant effect of cocaine leading to irritability and disruption of the normal sleep cycle. 

     Use of electronic devices before bed: Several studies have shown the effect of light emitted by electronic devices by altering the hormone melatonin, a hormone that plays an important role in sleep, leading to difficulty falling asleep. 

     Eating fatty foods before bed: for the feeling of discomfort and its effect on the ability to sleep, as well as the possibility that spicy food causes heartburn and therefore sleep disturbance.

menopause

     Many women experience insomnia during menopause, also known as perimenopause, due to the many changes associated with this phase, including the following:

Hot flashes: Hot flashes and night sweats are common symptoms that women can experience during menopause, leading to insomnia, plus these symptoms are caused by an increase in the level of the hormone adrenaline. : adrenaline).  ) In response to the decreased ratio of some hormones in women, adrenaline leads to alertness and increased body energy, causing difficulty sleeping and insomnia. 

Hormonal changes: Menopause is accompanied by many hormonal changes in women. Among them, a decrease in the ratio of estrogen and progesterone hormones, which entails a series of changes in lifestyle and sleep, in order to adapt to these changes, and it should be noted that progesterone is one of the hormones that stimulate sleep, so their decrease leads to insomnia. 

 Medications: A woman may need to use certain medications and nutritional supplements during menopause, which in turn may be accompanied by side effects, including insomnia.

The pregnancy

Most women suffer from insomnia during pregnancy, especially in the second and third trimesters, due to the increased size of the fetus and the severity of pregnancy symptoms.   It should be noted that suffering from insomnia in a pregnant woman does not affect the health of the fetus, and there are many different factors that may be responsible for suffering from insomnia in a pregnant woman.   Here are some of them:

• Heartburn associated with pregnancy.

• leg cramps

•  Psychological anxiety.

• frequent urination.

• Difficulty getting a comfortable position due to the size of the abdomen.

• Additional stimulation of metabolic processes or metabolism, which leads to an increase in body temperature.

     pharmacist

Suffering from insomnia can be caused by the use of certain medications, as insomnia is a common side effect of several medications, including the following:

       Alpha-blockers:  among the side effects associated with the use of this group: insomnia, and the feeling of sleepiness and fatigue of the person during the day, in addition to its effect that leads to a decrease of the duration of some stages of 

 Beta-blockers: Beta-blockers cause frequent awakenings during sleep and nightmares, and scientists believe this effect is due to 

     Corticosteroid medications: Corticosteroids cause insomnia due to their similar effect to adrenal hormones, which are responsible for stimulating the body and brain. 

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), doctors have not been able to clearly identify the mechanism that causes insomnia in the affected person, but these drugs can cause irritability and tremor, which can lead to insomnia.  

     ACE inhibitors: The use of these drugs can cause insomnia due to the possibility of high levels of potassium in the body, which in turn leads to leg cramps and muscle and bone pain. .   , and diarrhea, as well as causing suffering from these medications, and in some cases, a dry cough can prevent a good night's sleep.

     Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), these drugs can cause insomnia due to the high level of potassium in the body and the appearance of associated symptoms.

Cholinesterase inhibitors: Many of the symptoms associated with these drugs can disturb sleep, including leg cramps, nausea, and vomiting, as well as an increase in acetylcholine, a type of neurotransmitter, in the brain and body.   Which leads to the disruption of involuntary functions of the body, including the functions responsible for sleep.

 Certain types of allergy medications: Second generation histamine 1 receptor blockers (H1 antagonists) cause psychological anxiety and insomnia due to inhibition of acetylcholine in the body.   These medications are prescribed to treat allergies.

     Glucosamine and chondroitin supplements: The use of glucosamine and chondroitin supplements is associated with a number of side effects such as insomnia, diarrhea, and headaches.  

Statin drugs: Statins cause muscle pain, which can affect a person's ability to sleep at night, and this pain can be very severe in some cases.

Cancer treatment drugs: Many cancer treatment drugs, known as chemotherapy drugs, cause tiredness and exhaustion during the day, leading to sleepiness during the day and insomnia at night, plus some drugs are used to reduce side effects associated with anticancer drugs. .   It can also cause tiredness and fatigue; as against nausea, or can lead directly to insomnia; Like steroid drugs, in addition to the anxiety and psychological stress associated with cancer, they can also cause insomnia.

Other health disorders

There are many health disorders and problems that can lead to insomnia, including the following:

     Heartburn: Heartburn is a feeling of discomfort or heartburn in the middle of the abdomen, plus the possibility of reflux of stomach acid into the esophagus, and the intensity of stomach acid usually increases when lying down, and the problem of insomnia and heartburn.  It can be mitigated in this case by using some medications that help inhibit stomach secretions, avoiding eating large and fatty meals at night, abstaining from alcoholic beverages and caffeine, as well as trying to lift the upper body when lying down to avoid reflux of stomach acid. . 

     Heart failure – People with heart failure experience a buildup of fluid in the lungs and tissues, which can cause them to wake up multiple times due to a feeling of shortness of breath.  Heart failure may be associated with obstructive sleep apnea . . Sleep apnea, a sleep disorder that causes you to wake up multiple times during your sleep at night, feeling tired and sleepy every day from not getting enough sleep.

     Musculoskeletal disorders: May influence the development of a musculoskeletal disorder. As arthritis (in English: Arthritis) in the affected person's ability to sleep and his suffering from insomnia due to the pain it causes, and this can result from the treatments used in arthritis; Like steroid medications, some studies have shown that many people with fibromyalgia experience a disruption in the normal sleep cycle and ability to sleep soundly due to a brain 

     Respiratory disorders: Having many different respiratory disorders can lead to difficulty sleeping or poor ability to stay asleep, and among these disorders are what is known as emphysema and bronchitis, as a result of these conditions being associated with difficulty breathing.  cough and excessive secretion of sputum, as well as difficulty sleeping due to the use of some medicines that treat respiratory disorders; like steroid drugs.

     Thyroid diseases: Hypothyroidism causes drowsiness and lethargy. As for hyperthyroidism, it is accompanied by sleep disturbances. Including insomnia, insomnia can also be the result of symptoms of other thyroid disorders; Such as night sweats, as a person waking up frequently as a result of increased sweating can prevent them from getting enough sleep. 

     Kidney disease: Insomnia and sleep disturbances are common among people with kidney disease, and lack of sleep in this case may be associated with feelings of sleepiness and fatigue, as well as poor daytime performance and poor quality of life. .  Insomnia in this case is attributed to many factors associated with kidney disease and its treatment. Including metabolic changes, inflammation, altered sleep regulation mechanisms, symptoms and complications associated with chronic kidney disease, medications, and renal replacement therapies. 

     Restless Legs Syndrome: Restless Legs Syndrome can be defined as a movement disorder that leads to a feeling of discomfort in the legs, including the desire to move them during moments of rest, and the sensation of these symptoms increases when lying down to Sleep at  This can lead to insomnia and difficulty sleeping, as well as extreme sleepiness, fatigue, and exhaustion during the day.

     Diabetes: People with diabetes may experience sleep disturbances. Including insomnia, since the symptoms of diabetes make it difficult to sleep, and lack of sleep itself exacerbates the symptoms of diabetes, and sleep disturbances in this case can be attributed to irregular blood sugar and hormone levels.  , and this often leads to high blood sugar levels during the day. Due to the inability to sleep efficiently at night, and in this context it is indicated that fatigue can impede the ability to regulate blood sugar, and it should be noted that diabetes is related in several cases to neuralgia, leg syndrome restlessness or apnea, and these factors increase the possibility of infection Pain: Suffering from acute or chronic pain causes insomnia and sleep disorders, since the affected person loses the ability to control the hours of sleep and, therefore, sleeps fewer hours, and those who suffer from pain are easily exposed to the environment that surrounds it. .  Factors affecting sleep quality. Like sounds, heat and light.

Information about insomnia

Insomnia is known as a sleep disorder, which is when a person finds it difficult to fall asleep, which can be difficult to continue, or wake up early and not be able to get back to sleep, sometimes accompanied by a feeling of exhaustion.  After waking up, insomnia may be represented by difficulty falling asleep, and it should be noted that people's amount of sleep varies, but in general, most adults need seven to eight hours of sleep every night, and insomnia can affect .  People of any age, and in adults, insomnia is more common in women than in men, and it should be taken into account that insomnia can negatively affect some aspects of life, such as work or school performance disorders, and can play a role in its occurrence.  of some other health problems.