Causes of Acute and Transient Insomnia

Some cases of insomnia can occur regularly for months at a time, while others can only happen for a duration of a few days or a couple of weeks. The latter type can be classified into either acute insomnia or transient insomnia.

Transient insomnia usually lasts an average of 3 to 5 days while acute insomnia can linger for up to three weeks. Neither of these types of sleeping problems are considered serious and they normally do not have adverse effects on one’s health as well. Common insomnia causes that can bring about these varieties of the sleeping condition include weather changes, high humidity, or other external factors like bright light or disruptive noise.

Abrupt changes in sleeping patterns can also trigger cases of acute and transient insomnia. As soon as the body adjusts to its new schedule though, the symptoms will disappear and the individual will be able to sleep more soundly.

Also included in the list of common acute insomnia causes are the intake of certain medications, problems in one’s personal or professional relationships, traumatic events like a divorce or the death of a loved one and other life-changing circumstances. Sometimes, physical changes in the body like menopause or pregnancy can also be an insomnia cause.

Regardless of the cause, most cases of acute and transient insomnia do go away as soon as the trigger passes. There is usually no need for medication or advanced treatment for such cases of insomnia.

Causes of Chronic Insomnia

The type of insomnia that prevails for a very long time, called chronic insomnia, is considerably more serious than the previous types. Typically, people suffering from chronic insomnia also have some underlying mental or psychologial issues. They may also be exhibiting signs of depression, anxiety or schizophrenia.

Some of the most common chronic insomnia causes are degenerative illnesses such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, acid reflux disease, constant fatigue and stress, poor sleeping habits and other sleeping disorders like sleep apnea.

Chronic insomnia symptoms may be lessened by doing regular exercises, improving your sleeping schedule and making changes to your diet. If the condition does not go away despite these measures, it is best to consult with your doctor for the best possible remedy.

Many people suffer from insomnia, the sleeping disorder that actually makes someone unable to find sleep. Some insomniacs can stay up for days. If you suffer from insomnia, try eliminating caffeine from your diet. Caffeine is a stimulant that can cause a person to stay up with them wishing they could just find sleep. Could it be, if you can’t find sleep, that caffeine is the cause of your insomnia? The answer is an emphatic yes.

Coffee After Dinner

Many people drink coffee after large meals, especially dinner. Waiters will often ask if anyone wants coffee after they eat. Digestion takes energy and people often become tired after they eat. For this reason, people drink coffee to perk them up. However, having this cup of coffee, or two or three, after dinner can wreak havoc on your sleeping schedule. That coffee could be the cause of your insomnia. With all of that caffeine surging through your body, there’s no way that you can lay down and fall asleep. Your heart and head are racing and your legs feel as though there are things crawling on them. You’re up and you’re ready to go, even though you know that you should be winding down so that your body can recharge.

That’s what sleep is. Sleep is your body’s way of recharging after a day of activity. Your body requires sleep and without sleep, your body will literally weaken and whither away. You will become absent minded, unable to complete thoughts and your body will literally feel drained. If you do suffer from this sleeping disorder, it’s important to find out if what you consume, such as caffeine is the cause of your insomnia.

If you are reading this, and you think coffee may be the cause of your insomnia, try switching to decaf. Or, if you need your coffee in the morning for fear of going postal on everyone around you, try switching to decaf at night, if you are a night coffee drinker.

It should be noted that even decaf has a slight amount of caffeine in it but it’s a good alternative to drinking full strength right before you’re supposed to be going to bed. Insomnia sounds good to some, imagine all you can get done when you’re not bothered by sleep, but it’s not good at all. The less sleep you get, the less you are able to function.

So, if you think coffee is the cause of your insomnia, skip that last cup of coffee and get some sleep. You can have all the coffee you can drink when you wake up in the morning after a long night’s sleep.

Apart from being extremely annoying, insomnia can cause sufferers to lose their energy and enthusiasm, develop memory and concentration problems and to feel lethargic and frustrated. This in turn can lead to a drop in work productivity and also to accidents which can have serious consequences.

There are many different things which can cause insomnia but here are some which are perhaps most commonly seen:

Our Environment.

The environment plays an important part when it comes to you getting a sound night’s sleep and such things as light, noise or extremes of hot and cold can lead to insomnia.

Substance Abuse.

Possible the most obvious of all forms of substance abuse in relation to insomnia is coffee and other drinks such as tea and colas which contain high levels of caffeine. Another commonly accepted cause is smoking with heavy smokers consuming more than enough nicotine to result in problems sleeping. What is possibly not so well known however is that this list of substances is extensive and even boasts several herbal remedies used for a wide range of diverse problems and which can produce insomnia as a side effect. We should also not forget alcohol. Although it is certainly true that alcohol can frequently make you feel tired at first once it has been metabolized it will also keep you wide awake.

Disturbance To The Biological Clock.

Each of us has our own body clock or circadian rhythm which is controlled in part by light and darkness and which regulates the body’s sleep/wake cycle. If this clock is thrown out of balance by things like staying up all night studying in college, partying into the small hours or jetting off around the world on business or for pleasure, then you will suffer from sleeping difficulties while the clock slowly tries to re-adjust itself.

Activities Before Going To Bed.

There are several things that can lead to insomnia if they take place within a short time of going to bed. Two of the commonest are exercising shortly before retiring or eating a big meal shortly before going to bed. In both cases these activities stimulate your metabolism and keep you awake.

Health Problems.

There are a large number of health problems that are known to induce insomnia including heart failure, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, ulcers, and Parkinson’s disease. Asthma is also being seen more and more as a cause of insomnia, as is the need for frequent urination, heartburn and chronic pain resulting from things like arthritis and leg cramps. The list of medical conditions which can cause insomnia is very long and also includes other types of sleep disorder such as sleep apnea as well as a range of psychiatric conditions.

Emotional Problems.

Almost all of us suffer from emotional distress occasionally and this can frequently lead to such things as anxiety or anger. But, if we keep our feelings to ourselves instead of talking about them and seeking a solution to them then this commonly results in insomnia.