Tuesday, July 15, 2008

What Causes Insomnia?

By Keira Adams

There are all sorts of things which cause you to be awake through the night. For example, there are many physical factors such as the time you get up in the morning and the time you go to sleep at night along with what time you eat before you retire, which can all affect your sleep patterns. Even taking a look at the mood you are in before going to bed or what is running through your mind may help you to discover exactly what is causing your insomnia.

When you understand the source of your sleep troubles you will be in a better position to treat your insomnia, even though it might be the result of a health issue.

External Causes of Insomnia

Is your bedroom a place to relax? Or is it simply an extension of your office? If the answer to the latter question is yes, then it could well be your environment which is causing your insomnia. After all, your bedroom should be your sanctuary.

If your bedroom is not in any way an inviting place, then there are things you need to do to make it so. Make it cozy and this will help to sort out your sleeplessness. It's a good idea to invest in blinds or heavier curtains to make sure your room is dark. This usually helps to prevent insomnia.

Do you drink a lot of coffee throughout the day? If you have more than a couple cups, it's bound to aggravate your sleeping problems. Indeed, overindulging in caffeine or alcohol is a leading cause of chronic insomnia.

How's Your Health?

We have mentioned coffee above but the cause of your insomnia may be much more menacing than this. You could have a recently diagnosed medical condition which is keeping you awake at night.

The diagnosis as well as the knowledge of the disease could have you up all night worrying about it. Some of the medical conditions that are behind the questions of what causes insomnia are high blood pressure, heart disease and Parkinson's.

If you think you are suffering from any of these medical conditions, and relaxing before going to bed in a calm and safe environment does not do the trick, then you really should see a doctor to get your suspicions either confirmed or eliminated.

Insomnia often seems like something trivial but it might hide a more serious medical condition that has gone undiagnosed.

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