Most people have experienced insomnia, or sleep difficulty, at some point in their lives. Insomnia can be frustrating because the person having difficulty sleeping is usually tired and wants to be able to rest. The National Institutes of Health estimates that up to 10 percent of the American population experiences insomnia on an ongoing basis, which can be called chronic. Sleep difficulties that are labeled insomnia may be treated on a medical or psychiatric basis, if the problem becomes severe and interferes with everyday life. Determining the cause of insomnia will help doctors be able to treat the condition appropriately.
Aging
According to the Mayo Clinic, insomnia is a common sign of aging, and the number of episodes of insomnia a person experiences will increase as he grows older. This may be because of the change in activity level that often occurs as people age. People who are less active during the day or who catnap during daylight hours may have a harder time sleeping at night. Older adults do not achieve as deep a sleep as their younger counterparts, increasing the likelihood that they will wake throughout the night.
Emotional Duress
Stress, depression, grief and other emotions that are hard to turn off may cause a person to suffer from insomnia. Often a person who is busy and distracted from negative thoughts during the day will have a difficult time sleeping, because her brain has not caught up to her body. Thoughts of stressful events, the to-do list for the next day and painful memories may all surface while the body is trying to rest, making it hard to fall asleep. Counseling may be an option for people who experience stress- or depression-related insomnia. Antidepressant medications may be prescribed to help a patient get a better night's sleep.
Health Conditions
A number of health conditions can cause insomnia, ranging from the common cold to chronic conditions such as arthritis or cancer. Pain is a factor in health-related insomnia, and should be managed with medications that can provide an analgesic effect during the night. Other conditions, such as undiagnosed diabetes, pregnancy or prostate cancer, may cause sleeping difficulties, if sleep is interrupted by frequent trips to the bathroom. People suffering from chronic insomnia should be examined to rule out underlying illness that may be robbing them of rest.
Stimulants
Too much stimulation close to bedtime can lead to trouble sleeping. Stimulants can be chemical in nature, such as tobacco products, caffeine and alcohol. Alcohol is generally thought of as a sedative, but some people who drink alcohol in the evening may find that they wake up during the night and have trouble going back to sleep. Stimulants can also mean too much excitement or activity right before going to bed. Winding down with low lighting, soft music or a book rather than watching an action-packed, loud television show may improve insomnia.
Medications
Prescription and over-the-counter medications can produce insomnia in some cases. Headache medications that contain caffeine may interfere with sleeping well, as well as diuretics that can cause a person to urinate more frequently. Insomniacs should speak to their doctors about the medications they are using to determine whether it is the cause of their difficulties.
