Causes of insomnia
Insomnia is a problem that affects more than 10% of the adult population. It results in a decrease in the quantity and quality of sleep (difficulty falling asleep, nocturnal awakenings, early morning awakening, etc.). Sleep then is experienced as unrestful. The day is accompanied by fatigue, drowsiness and the insomniac is often irritable. Doctissimo takes stock of the main causes of insomnia.
When to talk about insomnia?
We talk about insomnia either when we have difficulty falling asleep at bedtime (initial insomnia), or when we wake up frequently or for a long time at night, or finally when we wake up prematurely on morning with an inability to get back to sleep. A person may suffer from a mixture of these symptoms, or the symptoms may change over time.
Taking more than 30 minutes to fall asleep, or spending more than 30 minutes awake in the middle of the night, with a sleep duration of less than 6.5 hours per night represents an insomnia problem. If you sleep 6 or 7 hours a night and feel rested the next day, you don't have insomnia. If you have trouble staying asleep or falling asleep three or more times a week, you probably have insomnia.
We can suffer from transient insomnia (life problems, worries), in the medium term (things can still go back to normal or deteriorate) or in the long term: insomnia becomes chronic.
Lifestyle causes of insomnia
Hygiene problems can be the cause of these difficulties in falling asleep. Thus, the excessive consumption of stimulants (coffee, tea, alcohol, tobacco) or the fact of eating too much or not enough in the evening can be responsible for difficulty in getting to sleep. Lack of physical activity or, on the contrary, excessive physical activity can also be the cause. We must not forget the causes simply related to the environment: noisy or too bright room, poor quality bed base or mattress... A phenomenon that has emerged in recent years: screens. The blue light emanating from smartphones, PCs and tablets gives the brain an impression of daylight which misleads it and delays the sleep phase.
Organic causes of insomnia
Insomnia can sometimes have an organic cause, such as restless leg syndrome or sleep apnea. Restless legs syndrome is common in pregnant women and people over the age of 60. It results in sensations of burning, annoyance, tingling (paraesthesia) in the legs at bedtime. These sensations force the person to get up, walk, refresh their legs in the shower and prevent them from falling asleep. This syndrome is accompanied by periodic movements of the legs during the night, which can bother the spouse. Sleep apnea is another organic cause that causes insomnia. It is very difficult to detect and causes significant fatigue in the morning and memory and concentration problems. These problems of restless legs and sleep apnea are usually highlighted through the testimony of the spouse. Hyperthyroidism, esophageal reflux, asthma or other more serious pathologies such as rheumatism or cancer can also be a factor in sleep disorders.
age-related insomnia
People more often suffer from insomnia as they get older, because the aging of the brain changes the functioning of the biological clock.
Chronic illnesses and medications related to insomnia
Insomnia can also be associated with certain organic diseases (asthma, ulcers, etc.) or with taking stimulating drugs (cortisone, beta blockers, etc.) that disturb sleep.
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stress and insomnia
In a large number of cases, insomnia is actually related to psychological causes. It is often linked to a traumatic episode (surgery, childbirth, etc.) which, although past, has left an anxiety of the sleepless night. As soon as the person goes to bed, the awakening systems are activated, preventing sleep. Underlying depression issues as well as anxiety and stress are also major causes of insomnia.
