Primary insomnia is a sleep disorder that is not caused by any known physical or mental conditions. Secondary insomnia is caused by a health condition. Depression, for example, is a very common cause of secondary insomnia, which is the symptom that people often seek medical help for. There are many different causes for insomnia. The most common causes of insomnia are:
- Alcohol
- Anxiety
- Caffeine
- Stress
Causes of acute insomnia can include:
- Significant life stress (job loss or change, death of a loved one, divorce, moving).
- An illness.
- Emotional or physical discomfort.
- Environmental factors like noise, light, or extreme temperatures (hot or cold) that interfere with sleep.
- Some medications (for example those used to treat colds, allergies, depression, high blood pressure, and asthma) may interfere with sleep.
- Disruptions in the normal sleeping schedule (e.g. jet lags or switching from a day to night shift).
Causes of chronic insomnia include:
- Depression and/or anxiety.
- Chronic stress.
- Pain or discomfort at night.
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