What is causing my insomnia?
Poor sleep habits, stress, medications, life stages and lifestyle can all contribute to your poor sleep.
Insomnia risk factors
Certain things are likely to increase your risk of experiencing a poor night's sleep.
- Increasing age increases your risk of insomnia2 and also reduces the hours of sleep you need each night.
- Some medications and recreational substances, particularly when taken in the evening, can cause sleep difficulties.
- Being a woman makes it more likely you’ll experience insomnia symptoms.4 Pregnancy, hormonal changes and menopause can all interfere with your sleep.
- Worry is a key driver of insomnia, particularly when it comes to short-term insomnia.
- Shift work can interfere with your sleep-wake cycle, making it difficult to sleep at the time when you need to.
- Jet lag is caused by travelling through several time zones in a west-east or east-west direction. Your body clock becomes confused about the right time to sleep and it can take several days to adjust to your new location.