Causes of insomnia

There are many different causes that can lead to insomnia:

Mental causes: Frequently, mental illness or anxiety can lead to insomnia. The most important reasons in this area are: Stress at work, school, study, etc. Worries Anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorders
Stress at work, school, study, etc.
Worries
Anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorders
Disorders of the day-night rhythm: Shift work: Insomnia often occurs, especially when working several night shifts in a row.
Jet lag after long flights
Shift work: Insomnia often occurs, especially when working several night shifts in a row.
Jet-Lag after long flights
Physical causes: Chronic pain such as back pain Age: Older people are proven to need less sleep than younger people. Also pregnancy and the menopause are among the possible disturbing factors for good sleep.
Chronic pain such as back pain
Age: Older people are proven to need less sleep than younger people.
Pregnancy and the menopause are among the possible disturbing factors for good sleep.
Stress at work, school, study, etc.
Worries
Anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorders
Shift work: Insomnia often occurs, especially when working several night shifts in a row.
Jet-Lag after long flights
Chronic pain such as back pain
Age: Older people are proven to need less sleep than younger people.
Pregnancy and the menopause are among the possible disturbing factors for good sleep.
Substances: Caffeine (coffee, cola, energy drinks) Alcohol Cocaine Sleeping pill abuse
Caffeine (coffee, cola, energy drinks)
Alcohol
Cocaine
Misuse of sleeping pills
Sleeping environment: Sleep can also be disturbed by environmental conditions. Noise too high or low temperatures Brightness red lights (such asB.
on standby lamps) restless bed partners
Noise
Too high or low temperatures
Brightness
Red lights (such as on standby lights)
Restless bed partners
Caffeine (coffee, cola, energy drinks)
Alcohol
Cocaine
Misuse of sleeping pills
Noise
Too high or low temperatures
Brightness
Red lights (such as on standby lights)
Restless bed partners

During pregnancy there are many physical changes that can lead to insomnia. The hormonal changes during pregnancy become apparent at an early stage. This makes the body go “crazy”.

Already in the first third of the pregnancy many women are increasingly tired and sleepy. This is caused by the hormone progesterone, which is elevated during pregnancy. During the day, more naps are taken, which is one reason why sleep at night is often missed out.

Many women then suffer from nausea and vomiting, especially in the first 3 months. In addition, there is an increased urge to urinate during pregnancy. Both are not necessarily conducive to a continuous sleep.

Also increased sensitive breasts cause insomnia, especially in women who usually lie on their stomach. Towards the end of the pregnancy, it is above all the ever-increasing baby belly that finally robs the sleep – it is only with difficulty possible to find a comfortable position. The baby’s increasingly obvious movements can also lead to sleepless nights.

It is not only during pregnancy that hormone levels change; during the menopause hormones also fluctuate. Above all, the estrogen level drops sharply. This hormone helps with sleep.

If this level continues to fall, sleep disorders often occur. Other messenger substances are also no longer released in their normal rhythm – the sleep-wake rhythm gets out of control. Also the increased psychological strain during the change plays a large role when it comes to falling asleep and sleeping through the night.

Many women start to think about this new phase of life. In addition, many women in menopause suffer from hot flushes, which of course are not only noticeable during the day, but also at night. Infants, at the age of 1 to 3 years, are still very sensitive when it comes to the daily rhythm and daily routine.

If something is changed in this, for example due to a long vacation trip or other reasons, it can lead to disturbances in the sleeping rhythm and thus also to difficulties in falling asleep. Small children are quickly mentally stressed when there are problems in their environment. For example, small children notice immediately when caregivers suffer from a mental illness.

Of course, pain can also be the trigger for sleep disorders in children. Furthermore, many children suffer from adenoids in the nose area, which can lead to snoring or too little air when sleeping and thus also disturb sleep. With a beginning or already existing depression it comes nearly always to sleep disturbances.

Changes in the messenger substances in the brain not only influence the mood but also the sleeping behavior. Additionally naturally also the brooding typical for a depression provides for insomnia. Insomnia can thus be a first sign of depressive disgruntlement.

Particularly noticeable is a combination of daytime tiredness, lack of drive and nocturnal restlessness. Depressed people often feel guilt, worry and anxiety when they fall asleep or wake up early. Further physical symptoms of depression can be: concentration problems, poor performance, headaches, digestive problems (diarrhoea, pain, nausea), pain in the heart area, palpitations.