Having sleepless nights??What is the cause>>>

>>>>According to Timothy Morgenthaler, MD, president-elect of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, everyone has an occasional restless night,however, if you regularly find it hard to get back to sleep within 15 or 20 minutes, or if you wake up more than two or three times per night, that can cause disruption in your daily life and is worth addressing. Experiencing sleeplessness sometimes may be associated with your lifestyle. The need for sleep changes with age but the majority of people need eight hours of sleep or more per night to function properly. Not sleeping is a problem itself and getting enough sleep is very essential for your well-being. Sleeplessness is medically known as insomnia.  According to the National Center for Sleep Disorders Research, up to 40% of the population experiences signs of insomnia every year. Those with insomnia may often experience trouble falling asleep or staying asleep.  Insomnia is a common sleep condition in which a person experiences difficulties sleeping.This condition affects all the  age group but it is believed that sleeplessness increases as we grow older. According to the Mayo Clinic, more than one-third of adults experience insomnia and 10 to 15 percent of adults experience it chronically.


Some factors may cause insomnia such as>>>>>



Stress>>>Stress has being identified as on of the main causes of insomnia. Research shows it is a common trigger for both short-term and chronic insomnia. Stress can be a part of daily routine. We experience stress most of the time. Scientific research by the Institute of HeartMath shows stress creates incoherence in our heart rhythms, and when the heart is out of sync normal sleep patterns can be interrupted.


Depression>>> Depression may cause sleep problems and sleep problems may cause or contribute to depressive disorders. Most people who suffer from depression experience sleep problems. Chronic insomnia is a marker of both anxiety disorder and depression,” says Neckelmann, MD, PhD, of the Department of Psychiatry at Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, Norway. These investigators from Norway have documented that insomnia may predispose people to anxiety and depression, just as anxiety and depression may predispose people to insomnia

Anxiety>> Chronic anxiety often prevents a person from falling to sleep, but once they do fall asleep, they sleep soundly, according to Dan G. Blazer, a Duke psychiatrist.
 Worries can keep your mind active at night

Health conditions>>>>Underlying health condition may lead to insomnia .Such conditions that comes with chronic pains or breathing difficulties can make you restless at night. The health conditions that may interfere with your sleep are  problems with urinary or genital organs, muscle and joint problem, cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.

Medication>>>>Many prescription drugs can interfere with sleep, such as antidepressants, stimulants for ADHD, corticosteroids, thyroid hormone, high blood pressure medications, and some contraceptives.Medication that contain caffeine or other stimulate can disrupt your sleep especially those over-the-counter drugs that goes with out prescription. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sleeping disorders are linked to obesity.

Caffeine, Nicotine and Alcohol>>>>>Caffeine is a stimulate that can keep you awake at night. Commonly found in coffee and most energy drinks can cause a sleepless night. Stimulants are substances that have an effect on the central nervous system and body, leading to increased alertness and difficulty in getting to sleep. Nicotine is also a stimulant found in cigarette which can also keep you awake. Alcohol is a sedative. It may help you fall asleep initially but may keep you awake midnight. A study also found  a very high prevalence of sleep disturbances among subjects with substance abuse or dependence, with almost all of the subjects reporting impaired sleep quality.

Nutrition habit>>>>>Researchers found that certain nutrients may play a role in sleep duration.And they also concluded that people who eat a wide variety of foods (an indicator of an overall healthy diet) had the healthiest sleep patterns. Previous studies have linked a lack of sleep to overeating. Eating late at night can also upset you at night making sleep difficult.

 Age>>>Age has equally being attributed to insomnia. Changes to our sleep patterns are a part of the normal aging process. As people age they tend to have a harder time falling asleep and more trouble staying asleep than when they were younger. Studies on the sleep habits of older Americans show an increase in the time it takes to fall asleep (sleep latency), an overall decline in REM sleep, and an increase in sleep fragmentation (waking up during the night) with age.

Some others believe also that sleeplessness can also be psychiatric related. Persistent sleeplessness can be associated with hallucinations such as hearing strange sounds, seeing strange beings like unreal angels,  warped thoughts, the feelings that people are reading your mind.



Source: http://www.heartmath.com
http://www.livestrong.com
http://www.healthline.com