3 Medical Conditions That Can Cause Insomnia
Jul 01, 2023
Insomnia is a common sleep disorder, affecting 1 out of 3 adults worldwide. It happens when you can’t get enough high-quality sleep, have trouble falling asleep, wake up multiple times throughout the night, or get up too early.
Stress, a change in routine, or eating too close to bedtime can make it hard to get a good night of rest. But life isn’t the only cause of insomnia. Some medical conditions may also affect your ability to get high-quality sleep.
At NY Metro Sleep in the Bronx, New York, our sleep medicine expert, Dr. Rajendra M. Rampersaud, specializes in insomnia treatment. He focuses on finding the cause of your sleep problem to create the most effective treatment plan.
Here, we discuss the medical conditions that cause insomnia.
Chronic pain conditions like arthritis, back pain, and neck pain can affect many aspects of your life, including your ability to sleep. These conditions make it hard to get comfortable enough to fall asleep, or the pain may cause you to wake up.
On top of that, not getting an adequate amount of sleep may worsen your pain condition. Your body is repairing and regenerating while you sleep. Not getting enough sleep makes it hard for your body to fix the underlying cause of your pain.
Lack of sleep also increases stress, contributing to your discomfort.
Heart disease includes any condition affecting how the heart works. Coronary artery disease (clogged arteries), heart failure, and atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) are types of heart diseases.
Many people with heart disease have trouble sleeping. Sleep issues may develop because of symptoms related to the condition (difficulty breathing with heart failure) or the types of medications (beta-blockers linked to insomnia) needed to manage the disease.
Neurological conditions include diseases that affect the brain, spinal cord, or nerves. Your brain plays a role in managing your sleep-wake cycle. Some neurological conditions may interfere with this function, making it hard to sleep, such as central sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and circadian rhythm disorders.
Neurological conditions linked to insomnia include:
Your sleep troubles may also put you at risk of developing medical conditions.
Chronic insomnia — difficulty sleeping three or more nights a week for three or more months — may put you at risk of developing high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. Poor sleep also affects your mental well-being, leading to mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.
Insomnia is common but not something you need to live with. If you’re having trouble sleeping, let us help. Call our office today or book an appointment online to schedule an evaluation.