What is a Risk Factor for Insomnia?

A risk factor is something that increases your likelihood of developing a disease or condition. Insomnia, like other sleep disorders, has a number of potential causes and factors that can increase your risk for developing insomnia.

Types of Insomnia

Here is a bit more information about the types of insomnia:

Secondary insomnia means that you have insomnia as a direct result or symptom of something else, such as a health condition, medication, pain, substance abuse, etc. For example, depression can be an underlying cause for insomnia.

Primary insomnia is the opposite of secondary insomnia, and means that your trouble sleeping is not directly related to some other underlying issue.

While these terms are convenient and in many cases clear cut, there are cases when the discrimination is not as clear. For example, in the case where both insomnia and depression are present, the question becomes, “Which comes first?”

Acute insomnia is short-term, and lasts for about a month.

Chronic insomnia is long-term and lasts for about three nights per week for at least a month.

These four types of insomnia can be combined as shown below:

• Secondary/acute insomnia – temporary insomnia in response to a temporary illness, stress, etc.
• Primary/acute insomnia – temporary insomnia for no discernable reason
• Secondary/chronic insomnia – chronic insomnia in response to (usually) chronic life problem such as pain, long term illness, etc.
• Primary/chronic insomnia – chronic insomnia with no discernible cause

Risk Factors for Insomnia

Age 

As we age, our sleep cycles change. We tend to go to bed earlier, wake up earlier, and require naps during the day. People over the age of 60-65 are more likely to have insomnia and report trouble with sleep.

This is likely due to natural biological changes, as well as side effects from an increased medication intake.

Disease Risk Factors for Insomnia

Many diseases can affect our ability to sleep, and put us at risk for developing insomnia:

• Diabetes
• Kidney disease
• Lung disease
• Arthritis
• Heart disease
• Heavy smoking
• Sleep apnea
• Restless leg syndrome (RLS)
• Addiction
• Parkinson’s disease
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Mental disease

Medication Risk Factors for Insomnia

Certain medications cause insomnia (primary) as a side effect, and include:

• Diet pills
• Steroids
• High blood pressure medications
• Theophylline
• Phenytoin
• Levodopa
• Decongestants

Gender

Gender is one of the risk factors for developing insomnia as it's more common in women than men. Biological aspects of being female like pregnancy, premenstrual syndrome, and menopause can increase your risk for developing insomnia.

Psychological 

Psychological risk factors are some of the most common causes of developing primary insomnia, and include:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Stress from marriage/job/health issues

Lifestyle 

Lastly, insomnia is also commonly caused by lifestyle choices that make sleep difficult, such as:

• Shift work
• Poor pre-sleep habits (screens, diet)
• Drinking before bed
• Drinking too much coffee
• Jet lag
• Poor sleep environment – noisy, bright, distractions, etc.
• Exercising close to bedtime

If you live in Alaska and are worried that you are struggling with insomnia, please contact one of our sleep specialists.