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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffNearly everyone has an occasional sleepless night. But your risk of insomnia is greater if:
- You're a woman. Women are much more likely to experience insomnia. Hormonal shifts during the menstrual cycle and in menopause may play a role. During menopause, night sweats and hot flashes often disturb sleep.
- You're over age 60. Because of changes in sleep patterns, insomnia increases with age.
- You have a mental health disorder. Many disorders, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, disrupt sleep. Early-morning awakening is a classic symptom of depression.
- You're under a lot of stress. Stressful events can cause temporary insomnia, and major or long-lasting stress, such as the death of a loved one or a divorce, can lead to chronic insomnia. Being poor or unemployed also increases the risk.
- You work night or changing shifts. Working at night or frequently changing shifts increases your risk of insomnia.
- You travel long distances. Jet lag from traveling across multiple time zones can cause insomnia.
References
- Insomnia. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/inso/inso_all.html. Accessed Oct. 7, 2010.
- Approach to the patient with a sleep or wakefulness disorder. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec16/ch215/ch215b.html. Accessed Oct. 7, 2010.
- Ancoli-Israel S. Sleep and its disorders in aging populations. Sleep Medicine. 2009;10:S7.
- Doghramji K. The evaluation and management of insomnia. Clinics in Chest Medicine. 2010;31:327.
- Bonnet MH, et al. Overview of insomnia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 29, 2010.
- Owens JA, et al. Impact of delaying school start time on adolescent sleep, mood, and behavior. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. 2010;164:608.
- Natural medicines in the clinical management of insomnia. National Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed Oct. 8, 2010.
- Cao H, et al. Acupuncture for treatment of insomnia: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2009;15:1171.
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