Causes of Insomnia

Triggers list for Insomnia: The list of triggers mentioned in source as possible causal factors for Insomnia includes:

Common triggers for short-term or intermittent insomnia include:
- Stress
- Noise
- Extreme temperatures
- Environment change
- Sleep schedule problems
- Jet lag
- Certain medications
- Caffeine
- Anxiety
- Excitement
Common triggers for chronic insomnia
- Caffeine
- Alcohol
- Substance abuse
- Shift work
- Nighttime activity schedules
- Chronic stress

Underlying condition causes of Insomnia: The list of possible underlying conditions (see also Misdiagnosis of underlying causes of Insomnia) mentioned in various sources as possible causes of Insomnia includes:

Common problems with the sleeping environment include:
- Sleeping area distractions
- Noise
- Extreme temperatures
- Poorly ventilated bedroom
- Stuffy bedroom
- Hot bedroom
- Cold bedroom
- Wrong mattress
- Too soft mattress
- Too hard mattress
Some possible causes of infant or child sleep problems include:
- Hunger
- Colic
- Indigestion
- Dirty diaper
- Too hot
- Too cold
- Teething
- Earache
- Dental problem
- Worms
- Leg cramps (see Leg pain)
Common causes of mild insomnia:
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Normal aging
- Caffeine before bedtime
- Sugar snack before bedtime
- Environment change
- Sleep schedule problems
- Jet lag
- Shift work
- Excessive caffeine
- Excessive alcohol
- Excitement
- Anger (see Aggression)
- Grief
- Mental stimulation before bedtime
- Daytime napping (see Drowsiness) - can cause or prolong the problem.
- Worrying about insomnia - exacerbates the situation.
- Disrupted sleep schedules
- Smoking - especially at bedtime
- Sex at bedtime - some people become stimulated after sex.
- Substance abuse
Sleep disorders
- Sleep apnea
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Narcolepsy
- Restless legs syndrome
- Primary insomnia
- Circadian rhythm sleep disorder
- Parasomnias
- Breathing-related sleep disorder
- Substance-induced sleep disorder
Emotional or mental disorders possibly causing insomnia:
Other possible underlying problems for severe insomnia:
Physical discomfort - any disease that causes any discomfort may interface with sleep:
- Chronic pain
- Arthritis
- Arthritis pain
- Ulcer pain
- Angina
- Duodenal ulcers
- Shortness of breath - when it occurs at night
- Heart failure
- Lung disorders
Night urination - may cause insomnia due to the need to urinate:
- Enlarged bladder (see Bladder symptoms)
- Cystitis
- See also causes of night urination
Certain medications
Withdrawal of medications
See also causes of symptom insomnia

Insomnia as a complication: Other conditions that might have Insomnia as a complication might be potential underlying causes of Insomnia. The list of conditions listing Insomnia as a complication in our database includes:

Insomnia as a symptom: Conditions listing Insomnia as a symptom may also be potential underlying causes of Insomnia. The list of conditions listing Insomnia as a symptom in our database includes:

Causes of Insomnia: medical news summaries: The following medical news items are relevant to causes of Insomnia:

Related information for causes of Insomnia: Further relevant information on causes of Insomnia may be found in the risk factors for Insomnia and underlying causes of Insomnia.
Last revision: Nov 13, 2003

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