Most of the time, the causes of sleep disturbances are not of physical origin. More often, mental stress is the reason for bad sleep.
Sleep disturbances belong to the symptoms of several mental primary diseases. That means, problems to fall asleep or to sleep through may be a hint for a mental illness. It is important to seek professional advice to make a diagnosis, because: not only mental diseases may lead to sleep disturbances even a “problematic state of mind” is able to cause them. Negative states of our mind may origin in different areas, here some examples:
Stress in everyday life
In our life, we are confronted everyday with different stress factors. Too much work, existential fear, fear of loss or failure or tiny quarrels at home –- we are surrounded by stress every day. Due to this permanently present everyday-stress often problems to fall asleep or to sleep through arise. During the night, the human being tends to think about the things experienced over the day. Are there too many negative memories and problems in the latest days, it prevents falling asleep –- often until the early morning hours.
Lack of sleep – trigger of mental distress
Sleep disturbances are not only a symptom of numerous mental diseases, they often may even be the cause for them. When our body is producing too less messenger substances it might be a reason for a mental illness. Just one example: the messenger substance melatonin, which is produced in the darkness of the night and which regulates the day-night-rhythm of the human being. Our sleeping rhythm works, when the melatonin level is balanced: rather high in the night, rather low during the day. But, if the value is elevated during the day or due to bad sleep even at the same level as during the night, this may cause depressions in a human being.
Anxiety states or panic attacks
After a frightening incident, it often is difficult for a long time to calm down. Should such a panic trigger happen right before going to bed, people concerned often are not able to think about something else. They remain in their anxiety state and therefore are unable to sleep. In case, you have to deal often with such attacks it is advisable to see a doctor. It might be possible that this is a permanent anxiety disorder.
Addictions
Pathological addictions –- especially substantial ones –- have negative effects on our sleeping rhythm. Especially alcohol, medications and nicotine cause sleeping problems. All of them increase the ammonia level of our body. If it is too high, ammonia gets into the brain, important functions are disturbed and we are hindered to fall asleep. When the problem causing addictions are substantial, a mental addiction may be responsible for sleep disturbances. If you are used to smoke a cigarette every night before going to bed, your body and your brain are used to this and skipping this ritual can prevent falling asleep.
There are numerous reasons for sleeping problems. It is important, not to fight the sleeping disturbance itself. We advise against taking sleeping pills or similar things. The fighting of the cause is much more successful. Is your everyday life stressful? Do some relaxation exercises or something like that to decrease your stress level. Are you often suffering under anxiety states and therefore are not able to sleep? Best is, to seek the advice of a behavioral therapist.
Only when you tackle the cause of the problem it can be defeated and you are finally able to fall asleep and sleep through again.
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