The 3 Hidden Causes of Insomnia and How to Fix It

If you are not getting enough sleep, your entire world can become unbearable. Insomnia is unfortunately an all too common issue that affects nearly every human being at some point of time or other; for some, it may be just a temporary thing whereas for some, it could be a chronic condition that affects their daily lives.

Insomnia manifests in many ways – you may find it difficult to fall asleep, to stay asleep or you may wake up in the middle of your sleep and not be able to go back to sleep. This can cause you to feel tired when you get up in the morning, and ruin your entire day. It can sap your energy, make you dull and irritable and affect your whole life.

Each individual has different requirements when it comes to sleep but we can safely say that you roughly need 6 to 8 hours of sleep every night to feel refreshed and energetic the next day.

There are several causes of insomnia, both physiological and psychological. Unhealthy sleep habits, night shift jobs, substance abuse, environmental factors, genetic and biological factors – anything can affect your sleep.

The most commonly known causes of insomnia are medications, gastrointestinal problem, Parkinson’s disease, and asthma. However, there are some causes that are relatively unknown; let’s take a look at 3 of them today:

1. Chronic pain: Pain in your joints, lower back, hips – anywhere in your body, can cause sleepless nights; and not just in Seattle. Body pain can cause severe discomfort and make you toss and turn at night. You may not be comfortable in any position, and when you get up, you’re quite likely to be cranky.

2. Anxiety and Depression: This is the number 1 hidden cause of insomnia. People often don’t realize that their loved ones are suffering from anxiety and/or depression, and so are seldom able to fathom why they have trouble sleeping. Being anxious or depressed means that you have used up all of your happy hormones – serotonin – which is also responsible for making melatonin – the hormone that is responsible for your sleep among other things. Low melatonin means little or no sleep.

3. Allergies: Aha, this is the most surprising one, isn’t it? But it’s true: if you’ve been having a blocked, stuffy nose, nasal drip, and so on, it can adversely affect your sleep. Post nasal drip can cause severe congestion in your upper respiratory tract and chest, and prevent you from enjoying sound sleep.

These are not insurmountable problems, but you need to get them looked at, and get the right treatment. At Young Naturopathic Center for Wellness, we perform comprehensive tests to determine what your health issues are and what cause them, and prescribe treatment that’s tailor-made for you. We use non-invasive methods and medicines that cause little side effects.

Don’t spend more sleepless nights – come and talk to our patient care concierge, and she will direct you to one of our expert doctors who can help you sleep better.