Physical Health
Chronic physical health conditions such as asthma, arthritis, diabetes, cardiovascular
disease, obesity and other long-term problems can be at the root of sleep problems.
Medical conditions
Not only can insomnia
be the result of a medical condition, the risk of developing some medical conditions can be increased by insomnia. For
example, research has found that insufficient sleep is linked to an increased risk
for the development of type 2 diabetes and a number of cardiovascular diseases,
including hypertension, stroke, coronary heart disease, and irregular heartbeats.
Obesity
Studies have shown an association between obesity and sleep problems in all age
groups.
Medicines
Medicines for chronic conditions can contribute to sleep problems. Common examples
include antidepressants, arthritis medications, asthma medications, blood pressure
medications, cold/allergy medications, pain medications, and diet pills. It is important
to make sure your healthcare provider knows your medical history and all of the
medicines you take (both prescription and nonprescription).
Menopause and insomnia
It is well known that women going through menopause can have trouble getting to
sleep and staying asleep. This is primarily due to hormonal changes that cause symptoms
such as cold sweats and hot flashes.
Two studies in the journal Sleep found that staying asleep is a common problem for
women as they progress through menopause and that sleep problems may differ according
to a woman's stage of menopause and her ethnicity.
Another study found that the existence of certain menopausal symptoms was more important
in predicting sleeping problems than the stage of menopause a woman was in.*
Pregnancy and insomnia
The physical, psychological, and hormonal changes a woman experiences when pregnant
can affect her sleep. Some hormones are known to cause drowsiness and others cause
insomnia.
Once their babies are born, many women continue to experience sleeping problems,
fatigue, and shortages of energy. This may be a result of the loss of pregnancy-related
hormones, as well as the need to feed and get their babies to sleep through the
night. Often a child will not develop its
circadian sleep rhythms
and sleep through the night until about six months of age. Many mothers
often catch up on lost sleep by napping when their babies nap.
Blindness
Because their retinas are unable to detect light, a large number of people with
total blindness have long-term sleeping problems. This condition is similar to
jet lag
in that their circadian rhythms follow their natural cycle rather than a 24-hour cycle.
These people may be treated with daily supplements of
melatonin
even though long-term use may cause additional problems. Because the potential side effects of
melatonin supplements are still largely unknown, melatonin use by
the general public is discouraged by the medical community.
Next: Lifestyle Factors
* Kravitz HM, Zhao X, Bromberger JT, Gold EB, Hall MH, Matthews KA, Sowers MR. Sleep Disturbance During the Menopausal
Transition in a Multi-Ethnic Community Sample of Women. Sleep 2008 Jul 1; 31(7): 979-90.
Pien GW, Sammel MD, Freeman EW, Lin H, DeBlasis TL. Predictors of Sleep Quality in Women in the Menopausal Transition.
Sleep 2008 Jul 1; 31(7): 991-9.