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14 Reasons You're Not Sleeping
14 Reasons You're Not Sleeping
Depression And Anxiety
It's estimated that 40 percent to 50 percent of people with insomnia also have depression or an anxiety disorder. Research out of the Centers of Pediatric Sleep Disorders at the University of Rome La Sapienza shows the connection is present in children, too. A study looking at more than 100 children ages 7 to 11 who had a major depressive disorder and 200 of their healthy peers showed that 82 percent of the depressed, medication-free children had trouble sleeping, vs. 5 percent of the control group.
Depression And Anxiety
It's estimated that 40 percent to 50 percent of people with insomnia also have depression or an anxiety disorder. Research out of the Centers of Pediatric Sleep Disorders at the University of Rome La Sapienza shows the connection is present in children, too. A study looking at more than 100 children ages 7 to 11 who had a major depressive disorder and 200 of their healthy peers showed that 82 percent of the depressed, medication-free children had trouble sleeping, vs. 5 percent of the control group.
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14 Reasons Youre Not Sleeping
14 Reasons You're Not Sleeping
Depression And Anxiety
It's estimated that 40 percent to 50 percent of people with insomnia also have depression or an anxiety disorder. Research out of the Centers of Pediatric Sleep Disorders at the University of Rome La Sapienza shows the connection is present in children, too. A study looking at more than 100 children ages 7 to 11 who had a major depressive disorder and 200 of their healthy peers showed that 82 percent of the depressed, medication-free children had trouble sleeping, vs. 5 percent of the control group.
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Environment
Whether we're just born that way or it's a side effect of insomnia, some of us are more sensitive to noise at night than others. The temperature of your bedroom can also have an impact on how many winks you get. It's also believed to be better to have a cool rather than warm bedroom. Some studies have shown that it's the cooling off effect you experience after drinking warm milk or taking a warm bath that helps you feel sleepy.
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Marital Strife
Research has shown that married people tend to have fewer sleep problems than those who are divorced. But it turns out the quality of the marriage is important, too. Research out of the University of Pittsburgh indicates that happily married women had fewer troubles falling asleep, staying asleep, fewer early morning awakenings and more restful sleep compared with unhappily married women.
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Being With Baby
Most new parents lose shut-eye waiting for their babies to learn to sleep through the night. But research from Penn State University shows that parents' sleep and their satisfaction with the infant's night-time behavior was worse when the infants spent any part of the night with parents vs. those who slept apart. This was true even of parents who endorsed the concept of co-sleeping with their babies.
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Medication
One option for people dealing with depression is to take selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), antidepressants that affect serotonin levels. But the medications can cause insomnia, a double whammy considering that many people who face depression already have difficulties sleeping. If you're having trouble sleeping, it might be worth it to talk to your doctor about your prescriptions.
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A Sleep Disorder
In cases of sleep apnea, the throat is blocked during sleep, preventing sufficient air flow to the lungs. The blockage may be caused by the relaxation of the throat muscles, too much fatty tissue in the throat--an obesity-related problem -- or a naturally small airway. The condition leads people to snore as well as temporarily stop breathing during sleep, causing them to momentarily awaken.
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Father Time
Sleep patterns change as we age. Health experts say that between the ages of 50 and 60, people tend to sleep lighter and wake up more frequently. More trouble falling asleep is also a common complaint. Some sleep disruption is also due to the pain or discomfort of chronic illnesses, such as arthritis, that affect the aging population.
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Heart Disease
While poor sleep can contribute to heart disease, poor heart health also can upset your night's sleep. According to research reported in the Harvard Heart Letter in 2007, people with heart failure may wake up due to breathing troubles, a result of fluid buildup in the lungs. Some people may also experience angina or chest pain, atrial fibrillation and palpitations at night, which can disturb sleep.
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Too Busy
A hectic daily schedule can wreak havoc on your ability to get a good night's sleep, particularly if you don't make time to decompress for a half hour or an hour before climbing into bed. Most people need to spend some time processing what's happened during the day and planning for the next to help them wind down.
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Health Concerns
Are worries about cancer keeping you up at night? Research out of the Brooklyn Health Disparities Center at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and Long Island University in Brooklyn shows that a significant number of women worried about cancer, none of whom had a history of a physician-diagnosed cancer, had trouble sleeping.
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