Insomnia Causes

Dr. David W. Sparks

Professional estimates have it that over 60 million people in America suffer from frequent chronic insomnia. The prevalence of insomnia may be 40% or higher for women over the age of 40. Further, as we all get older, our sleep becomes fragmented in the sense that we all experience arousals or mini-awakenings throughout the night. These arousals often lead us into full arousal and for so many of us, once awake, we have trouble getting back to sleep. At first glance then, the insomnia causes could be viewed as being female and/or getting older. This is something of a simplistic observation and there is obviously a lot more to it with both psychological and physiological factors playing significant roles in sleeplessness.

We just used a fairly broad brush to paint risk factors for insomnia but this is an enormous problem across a very significant number of people in the world so it needs to be viewed through a wide scope. In terms of identifying people who have insomnia, one can only say that some people are more susceptible than others, i.e., some people are more likely to have hay fever or gout and others more likely to have insomnia.

Intuitively, stress and anxiety can play a major role in sleeplessness. People with these conditions feel increased tension, apprehension, along with feelings of helplessness, fear, worry, and uncertainty. Problems at work, with relationships, financial woes, feelings of inadequacy and a myriad of other problem areas in life can lead to stress and anxiety. Of course, we all understand that when we are stressed or anxious it changes our frame of mind. But it also turns out that such mood disorders precipitate hormonal changes in our bodies that can inhibit sleep.

Here’s a class you don’t want to attend! There is a form of insomnia that is called psychophysiological and what that means is that it is learned. Consider an instance where you have to be very sharp during a day or a series of days. For example, you’re involved in a big project at work or you’re in a big sporting event like a tournament or the in-laws are coming to town and you want to put on a good appearance. The fact that such events may weigh heavily on your mind is totally natural and the stress and excitement may a cause of insomnia. You worry about getting enough sleep the night before and, because you worry about it, sure enough…you have trouble falling asleep. This is called a self-fulfilling prophecy. Well, you get through these few days but now something has been planted in your mind. There is a seed of doubt about the inability to fall asleep easily or inability to stay asleep. You may end up trying too hard to sleep, and this intense effort can make you even more alert, set off a series of worried thoughts that cause more tossing and turning. It’s a vicious cycle, the more you worry about sleeping, the more difficult it is to get to sleep which causes you to worry more…and on and on we go.

Other physical factors can also impact your sleep. Caffeinated beverages (coffee, tea, cola) too close to bedtime, use of nicotine, over-the-counter medications for weight loss, colds, asthma, etc. can also serve to stimulate you as opposed to allowing you to wind down. Alcohol, although it is a relaxing agent, is also full of sugar. If you drink a cocktail or glass of wine it may help put you to sleep, but when blood/sugar in your system drops in your sleep, you will wake up.

When insomnia is caused by a psychiatric disorder, which is most often anxiety or depression, or a physical disorder, commonly chronic pain such as is caused by arthritis, fibromyalgia or injury, it is termed secondary insomnia. Secondary insomnia may be relieved by successful treatment of the primary psychiatric/medical disorder.

Other factors such as erratic hours, shift workers, jet lag, irregular bedtime through a variety of different circumstances can raise havoc with your ability to sleep for extended periods such as 8 hours. A sedentary lifestyle can also precipitate insomnia. People who rarely, if ever, exercise, have lots of problems with insomnia.

Another issue with poor sleep can be created by the environment within which you sleep. Bedrooms that are vulnerable to noise, uncomfortable temperatures or too much light make sleeping difficult. Certainly uncomfortable bedding can produce problems.

Now that you understand insomnia causes, I have good news for you. There is hope! There are all kinds of very effective techniques for dealing with insomnia that we outline on our web site. These include practicing good sleep hygiene:

•         Fix a bedtime and an awakening time. Do not allow bedtime and awakening time to drift. The body "gets used" to falling asleep at a certain time, but only if this is relatively constant. So go to bed and wake up at the same time every night and day.
•         Avoid excessive napping during the day. If you nap throughout the day, it is no wonder that you will not be able to sleep at night. The late afternoon for most people is a "sleepy time." Many people will take a nap at that time. This is generally not a bad thing to do, provided you limit the nap to 30-45 minutes and can sleep well at night.
•         Don’t stay in bed tossing and turning. If you find that you cannot get to sleep within 15-20 minutes, then do not remain in the bed "trying hard" to sleep. Get out of bed. Leave the bedroom. Read, have a light snack, do some quiet activity, or take a bath. You will generally find that you can get back to sleep 20 minutes or so later. Do not perform challenging or engaging activity such as office work, housework, etc. Do not watch television.
•         No Television. Many people fall asleep with the television on in their bedroom. Watching television in bed is a bad idea. Television is a very engaging medium that tends to keep people up. It is recommended that the television not be in the bedroom. At the appropriate bedtime, the TV should be turned off and you should go to bed.
•         Avoid alcohol 4-6 hours before bedtime. Many people believe that alcohol helps them sleep. While alcohol has an immediate sleep-inducing effect, a few hours later as the alcohol levels (blood-sugar) in your blood start to fall, there is a stimulant or wake-up effect.
•         Avoid caffeine 4-6 hours before bedtime. This includes caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea and many sodas, as well as chocolate.
•         Avoid heavy, spicy, or sugary foods 4-6 hours before bedtime. These can affect your ability to stay asleep.
•         Exercise regularly, but not right before bed. Regular exercise, particularly in the afternoon, can help deepen sleep. Strenuous exercise within the 2 hours before bedtime, however, can decrease your ability to fall asleep.

Your Sleeping Environment

•         Use comfortable bedding. Uncomfortable bedding can prevent good sleep. Evaluate whether or not this is a source of your problem, and make appropriate changes.
•         Find a comfortable temperature setting for sleeping and keep the room well ventilated. If your bedroom is too cold or too hot, it can keep you awake. A cool (not cold) bedroom is often the most conducive to sleep.
•         Block out all distracting noise, and eliminate as much light as possible.
•         Reserve the bed for sleep and sex. Don't use the bed as an office, workroom or recreation room. Let your body "know" that the bed is associated with sleeping.

    Getting Ready For Bed

•         Try a light snack before bed. Warm milk and foods high in the amino acid tryptophan, such as bananas, may help you to sleep.
•         Practice relaxation techniques before bed. Relaxation techniques such as yoga, deep breathing and others may help relieve anxiety and reduce muscle tension.
•         Establish a pre-sleep ritual. Pre-sleep rituals, such as a warm bath or a few minutes of reading, can help you sleep.

The rules of sleep hygiene are the first step in finding a cure for insomnia. The next step is to try some behavioral modification techniques that are considered to be a sure fire method for the treatment of insomnia. Behavioral scientists have shown that chronic insomniacs can institute a series of behavioral modification steps into their lives. These steps require very little effort and really only demand incorporating “mini regimens” into their nightly sleep routines. Steps including breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, image replacement, training the conscious mind, mindfulness, meditation and music all have been shown to yield huge benefits to those who suffer chronic sleeplessness. These behavioral modification steps are available through this web site.

In a few weeks we will be opening up a premium section in our web site entitled Actions Steps for Better Sleep and A Healthier Life. These steps incorporate some simple behavioral modification techniques to help solve your problems with insomnia along with some positive steps that you can take toward improving your wellness. We have some wonderful suggestions for diet and exercise. Think of this program as an "easy boot camp where you learn to go to war against insomnia". By the way, you can get this program for free with your purchase of one of my audiobooks entitled "Better Sleep in 7 Days".

Make sure you sign up in the Action Steps section and I will send you a sample of both the first day of Actions Steps for Better Sleep and A Healthier Life and Day 1 of The Better Sleep in 7 Days audiobook. We value your privacy and will not pass along your email address to anyone.

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