What leads to restless sleep and disturbed sleep? In this article, you will learn everything about the most common causes – and how you can avoid them in the best possible way.
Everyone has trouble sleeping from time to time. This is often related to current living conditions.
- For example, stress or a hectic daily routine can have a bad effect on the quality of sleep.
- You should get help, especially if these problems occur regularly and severely affect your well-being.
Depending on the type of sleep disorder, those affected have problems falling asleep or staying asleep, which is reflected in extreme tiredness during the day.
Here you can read everything about the most common causes and risk factors – and how you can best avoid them.
Note: In this guide to insomnia ‘s even more comprehensive advice.
But you can also read on here. I link further interesting articles on the topic below.
Index
What are the symptoms of insomnia?
The signs of a sleep disturbance can vary greatly depending on the type and severity.
The effects of sleep deprivation are diverse: Reduced energy, depressed mood and difficulty concentrating are among them.
Commonly known symptoms of insomnia include:
- Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep , generally restless sleep
- severe tiredness during the day, not feeling properly recovered after waking up
- strong demand during daytime naps or an extended nap to make
Concentration problems (especially in children) and increased irritability or anxiety are also very common.
A lack of sleep leads to increased stress, which can have a negative impact on one’s mood.
If the sleep disorder is related to other medical conditions, symptoms can also be more difficult to identify.
Differences between women and men
Most of them know that there are big differences in sleep between the sexes.
The inner circadian rhythm of women is set earlier: That means women fall asleep earlier and wake up earlier.
- One study ( https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110615015650.htm ) even showed that women are better at dealing with sleep deprivation than men.
- This is because they spend more time in deep sleep, which is invigorating and leads to better memory performance.
On the other hand, women are more at risk than men to develop chronic sleep problems:
The biological roller coaster ride – menstruation, pregnancy, menopause – and the associated hormone fluctuations also have an effect on sleep.
Risk factors for sleep disorders
Insomnia affects more women than men, and more older people than younger ones.
That being said, there are some risk factors that can be related to insomnia.
These include, for example:
- Genetic:
Many diseases have genetic causes and occur more frequently in affected families. One example is narcolepsy. This neurological disorder affects the regulation of sleep and wakefulness.
- Medication
Some medications have a profound effect on sleep, such as some antidepressants, blood pressure medicines, and even some cold medicines. If you suffer from sleep problems, you should definitely be vigilant!
- Alter
Often people over the age of 65 suffer more from sleep problems. In general, sleep changes at this age: Older people are more likely to experience phases of light sleep and less deep sleep. Unfortunately, it is not yet clear what this is related to.
- Night work
Especially people who work at night often suffer from insomnia. This is mainly because they cannot sleep when they feel sleepy. Your activities run counter to the biological clock – which cannot have a positive effect on your inner rhythm.
- Menopause
In general, more women suffer from insomnia than men. In addition, between 30 and 40 percent of menopausal women experience insomnia.
This is mainly due to the heat surges, night sweats , anxiety or hormone fluctuations.
What are the most common causes of insomnia?
Sleep disturbances can have numerous reasons.
Although the causes are often very different, the result is always similar: sleep disorders disrupt the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle.
The most common causes include:
- Bad sleep hygiene (irregular sleep times , cell phone use in bed )
- Physical disorders (e.g. shoulder pain , medical problems, asthma, allergies)
- Psychological causes (stress at work, fears, family arguments, depression)
- Environmental issues ( alcohol , noise, the wrong mattress or pillow )
Often several causes are related. Bad habits, for example, aggravate pain-related disorders – and vice versa.
In short: Unfortunately, it is not always easy to distinguish between them – both illnesses and psychological problems can be related to physical processes.
Bad habits disrupt sleep
Almost all of us need to improve our sleep hygiene – one of the most common reasons for sleep disorders.
- Do you eat fatty foods before sleep or do you drink coffee late at night?
- Or do you exercise right before you go to sleep and your body cannot rest?
- Or are you using a pillow that does not fit your sleeping position ?
All of these things mean that the natural phases of sleep are disturbed – the likelihood of permanent problems with the night’s sleep increases.
Monitor your sleeping habits
It is therefore worthwhile to observe your own sleep more closely for a while.
One of the best remedies is to keep a sleep diary to take notes on. After a short time you will recognize negative patterns and ways to improve your night’s sleep.
Of course, there are other ways to monitor sleep as well . In the linked article you will find, for example, a few apps that do this automatically.
Physical causes keep us awake
Everyone has probably experienced this at an advanced age: back pain, allergies or a stomach problem prevent us from sleeping.
- Most often, if a sleep disorder has a physical cause, all you can do is alleviate symptoms.
- If the cause improves, the sleep disorder usually also disappears.
Find out here what is one of the most common physical reasons:
Chronic pain
If you are in constant pain, it has a strong influence on your life – including sleeping, of course.
Many people with chronic pain have difficulty falling asleep at all, while others wake up constantly at night.
Tip: Here you will find the best sleep aids .
The most common symptoms of chronic pain include:
- Arthritis,
- Back pain,
- Inflammatory bowel disease or
- Fibromyalgia syndrome (persistent fiber-muscle pain)
Medical relationships are often complex
However, some causes are nowhere near as noticeable. Affected people are often not even aware that they are sleeping poorly.
- Talk to your doctor about this, especially if you often feel tired and weak during the day .
- Sleep problems and constant tiredness can also be an indication that something is wrong in the body.
Other medical conditions that are often associated with sleep problems include:
- Stomach problems like reflux disease, where the stomach contents run back down the esophagus – heartburn
- Heart disease, diabetes & kidney disease
- Back problems like cervical syndrome
Allergies and respiratory problems
Everyone has probably experienced this themselves: with a bad cold, you simply cannot sleep well!
But allergies or respiratory infections also make it difficult to breathe at night. These breathing difficulties ultimately also lead to sleep problems.
Psychological & neurological causes
The subject of sleep is closely related to mental disorders:
- Almost all people who suffer from anxiety or depression also have trouble falling asleep.
- So it’s no wonder that psychological causes are the leading cause of insomnia.
Often people with a mental disorder report other problems, such as being very sleepy during the day, being easily tired, or having nightmares.
In addition, insomnia can make psychological problems worse.
The negative influence is clearly demonstrated
Affected people react confused or frustrated, are more sensitive to pain, and feel hopeless.
The most common psychological causes include: B.
- Stress & permanent tension, no more switching off possible
- Anxiety & Depression or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- a manic-depressive personality disorder (euphoric and depressive episodes occur)
Neurological disorders that have a strong impact on sleep include dementia, Parkinson’s, or epilepsy.
The fact is: 90% of all people with depression also have sleep problems! They often wake up earlier and cannot fall asleep. The drugs used can also affect sleep in this case
However: Even without a “serious” mental illness, we are stressed.
Treatment of sleep disorders
A sleep disorder and sleep-related problems in general are often difficult to treat.
This is because symptoms are often very interwoven and it is not always easy to determine where the causes are.
Depending on the identified causes, the treatment looks different.
Most often, treating a sleep disorder involves a mixture of medical help and lifestyle changes.
Medical treatment
If your doctor suspects that medication can help you with your sleep problems, the following things are usually part of treatment:
- sleeping pills
- Melatonin (sleep hormone)
- Withdrawal from medication
Or medicine for other health problems such as allergies or a cold.
Lifestyle adjustment
Many people still don’t realize how much your sleeping habits affect your sleep.
These simple changes can enormously improve sleep quality – even if the cause is physical.
A few points to keep in mind:
- Exercise more to reduce stress and anxiety.
- Stick to a set rhythm while sleeping.
- Drink less coffee, especially in the late evening.
- Refrain from tobacco and alcohol .
Tip: In the Better Sleep section you will find other helpful articles with which you can improve the quality of your sleep.
Avoidance – What you can do to prevent insomnia
Most people sleep poorly at times. So you don’t necessarily have to have a sleep disorder.
Those who lead a balanced and healthy life also have fewer problems sleeping.
You should definitely pay attention to the following points:
- Be aware of your food!
Get used to eating healthy. Eat more fresh ingredients and less man-made foods.
In this case, vegetables and fish are particularly healthy.
- However, you should definitely avoid too much sugar!
Better to use alternatives like xylitol that have fewer negative effects.
- Eat something light before bed!
If you eat too much in the evening, you sleep poorly. Most of them have already experienced this.
No wonder: digestion is in full swing and torments you with unpleasant stomach pains.
It is therefore advisable to only eat light foods before going to bed . In the best case scenario, you should eat a little earlier (no later than 7 p.m.).
- Actively influence your sleep-wake rhythm!
Habits are very important in this context. Therefore, get up at the same time each day and go to sleep as you always do.
- Incidentally, this also applies to the weekend! Of course it’s great to stay in bed a little longer.
- Most of the time, however, you regret this when you want to sleep in the evening and instead sit wide awake in bed.
Tip: Make sure to expose yourself to natural light outside during the day. This releases melatonin (a hormone that plays a key role in being sleepy).
It helps you sleep well and regulates the rhythm of the body.
- Exercise regularly!
The best time to do this is before lunch (or at least in the early afternoon).
Exercising too late stimulates activity in the body and can prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep.
- However, exercise can naturally regulate your rhythm.
- It also helps to reduce anxiety and stress.
- Build relaxation exercises into your everyday life!
Many sleep disorders could be completely avoided if we were all just a little more mindful and calm. Many people today find it difficult to focus on themselves and their own bodies.
Because this is also a challenge at the same time: dealing with all the weaknesses and requirements that are unconsciously a burden.
At the same time, however, this is a good approach to get to the bottom of a sleep disorder.
Most of the relaxation exercises can be easily incorporated into the daily routine. It doesn’t matter whether you prefer yoga, meditation or autogenic training .
Sleep disorders in children
Sleep deprivation can have negative effects, especially in children and adolescents.
Often there are changes in school performance or in social relationships.
Other symptoms are common:
- Increased susceptibility to accidents and injuries
- Behavioral problems
- Changes in mood
- Memory, concentration, or learning problems
- Slower response times
- Overeating
Sleep disorders in children are difficult to diagnose because of the inability to properly articulate the problem.
The best way to tell that your child is having trouble sleeping is by the following signs:
- Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
- Breathing pauses while sleeping
- Great tiredness or decreased efficiency during the day
- Other strange occurrences while sleeping: snoring, sleepwalking, or nightmares
Tip: If you observe signs of a sleep disorder in your child over a longer period of time, you should definitely have this clarified by a doctor.
More tips for better sleep
Hope this article on the causes of insomnia has been helpful to you.
You are also welcome to browse the other sections and find out which measures you can take to improve your sleep:
- The bedroom category provides helpful tips on how to best furnish your bedroom .
- In the next section you will find more information on common sleep problems and sleep disorders .
- We explain current studies (understandable for everyone) in the category of sleep research .
- General tips & strategies for a healthy night’s sleep can be found here: Sleep better .
If you want to find out more about sleep disorders, then it is best to read one of the following texts:
Everything about sleep disorders
Comprehensive guide to insomnia
Sleep disorders during menopause
Home remedies for sleep disorders
I created Sleep Knowledge to share my interests and experiences on healthy sleeping with others. On this page I am therefore dealing with interesting questions about the optimal night’s sleep & everything else that goes with it.