Some studies indicated that it may partly be caused by exposure to light at night, such as on a computer or smartphone screen. Abhinav Singh, medical director of the Indiana Sleep Center, told Live Science.Ī 2022 review, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, suggested that digital addiction, defined as harmful dependence on digital media and high-tech devices, may be another predisposing factor. Commonly used substances such as caffeine, tobacco and alcohol can also contribute to symptoms, according to the Sleep Foundation.Ī poor sleeping environment or engaging in sleep antagonizing behaviors, such as eating heavy meals, performing high intensity exercise or high screen exposure close to bedtime, may be disruptive to our sleep-wake cycle, Dr. "The circadian rhythm tells the body when to be tired and when to be awake."Ĭertain medications, such as asthma and cold medicines, can also cause insomnia. "Certain jobs may make a person more susceptible to insomnia by working hours that alter their circadian rhythms," she said. Shift workers are at a particularly high risk of developing insomnia, McClymont said, with a 2021 review published in the journal Sleep Science finding it can affect up to 76.4% of shift workers. "In these circumstances the condition is likely to be transient due to its direct connection with an emotional stressor," she said. Insomnia may be experienced during periods of great stress or emotional distress such as a job loss, a bereavement or a divorce, McClymont said. It can make it difficult to fall asleep, especially if those thoughts are particularly scary and worrying." "This is when we continually think the same thoughts over and over. "Periods of anxious thoughts or rumination are among the most common reasons people stay awake at night," he said. Kerry Irving, a senior clinical psychologist at Kooth, a digital mental wellbeing platform in England, told Live Science that while it is not always clear what triggers insomnia, it can be associated with stress and anxiety. In addition, a 2020 review published in the journal Sleep Medicine Reviews reported that stroke may also lead to sleeping disorders.
This excessive stimulation may then impede restful sleep. Certain individuals may be less able to process negative emotions, the authors said, which may lead to their brains being hyperstimulated.
Biological factorsĪccording to a 2021 review published in the journal Physiological Reviews, insomnia may be caused by disruptions in brain circuits regulating emotion and arousal, rather than in circuits involved in sleep regulation as previously thought. In some cases, insomnia is a side effect of another medical condition (such as sleep apnea, hypothyroidism or restless leg syndrome), in which case, the disorder is known as secondary insomnia, according to the NIH. "This type of 'false insomnia' is common if people have suffered previous primary insomnia and may be related to anxious thoughts about not sleeping or getting too little sleep," McClymont said. There are three subtypes of primary insomnia, said Alison McClymont, a psychotherapist in England: Idiopathic (without any known cause), stress-related, and sleep state misperception, where the sufferer believes they have insomnia despite having adequate sleep. She received her doctorate, focused in clinical psychology, from the University of East London in England. Charmain Keane is an experienced clinical psychologist with a demonstrated history of working in the hospital and healthcare industry.
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