Symptom: Insomnia

Introduction: Insomnia

Insomnia: Inability to fall or stay asleep. See free access online books about Insomnia below. See detailed information below for a list of 257 causes of Insomnia, including diseases and drug side effect causes.

» Review Causes of Insomnia: full list

Causes of Insomnia:

The following medical conditions are some of the possible causes of Insomnia. There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor about your symptoms.

• Common problems with the sleeping environment include:
  • Sleeping area distractions
  • Noise
  • Extreme temperatures
  • Poorly ventilated bedroom
  • Stuffy bedroom
  • Hot bedroom
  • Cold bedroom
  • Wrong mattress
  • Too soft mattress
  • Too hard mattress
• Some possible causes of infant or child sleep problems include:
  • Hunger
  • Colic
  • Indigestion
  • Dirty diaper
  • Too hot
  • Too cold
  • Teething
  • Earache
  • Dental problem
  • Worms
  • Leg cramps
  • Not enough exercise
• Common causes of mild insomnia:
  • Stress
  • Anxiety
  • Normal aging - a reduction in sleep requirements often accompanies aging.
  • Caffeine before bedtime
  • Overeating - eating too much before bedtime can cause insomnia.

See full list of 257 causes of Insomnia

» Review Causes of Insomnia: full list

Causes of Types of Insomnia:

Review the causes of these more specific types of Insomnia:

• Sleep disturbance (66 causes)
• Sleeping difficulty (24 causes)
• Sleeplessness (5 causes)
• Yawning Excessively (20 causes)
• Dream disturbance

See full list of 39 types for Insomnia

Insomnia: Multiple Symptom Checker

Listed below are some combinations of symptoms associated with Insomnia, as listed in our database. Visit the Multiple Symptoms Checker, to add and remove symptoms and research your condition.

Multiple Symptom Checker - Other Symptoms

• Insomnia: Multiple Symptom Checker

Multiple Symptom Checker Combinations

• Insomnia and Sleep symptoms (131 causes)
• Insomnia and Sleeping problems (130 causes)
• Insomnia and Behavioral symptoms (107 causes)
• Insomnia and Personality symptoms (105 causes)
• Insomnia and Nerve symptoms (101 causes)
• Insomnia and Society problems (99 causes)
• Insomnia and Sensations (96 causes)
• Insomnia and Pain (94 causes)
• Insomnia and Digestive symptoms (89 causes)
• Insomnia and Emotional symptoms (83 causes)
• Insomnia and Fatigue (82 causes)
• Insomnia and Head symptoms (81 causes)
• Insomnia and Muscle weakness (79 causes)
• Insomnia and Muscle symptoms (75 causes)
• Insomnia and Irritability (67 causes)
• Insomnia and Weakness (63 causes)
• Insomnia and Mental problems (59 causes)
• Insomnia and Anxiety (57 causes)
• Insomnia and Abdominal symptoms (55 causes)
• Insomnia and Face symptoms (55 causes)

See full list of 1121 Multiple Symptom Checker combinations related to Insomnia

Home Diagnostic Testing and Insomnia

Home medical tests possibly related to Insomnia:

• Sleep Disorders: Home Testing
• in
• Home Sleep Tests
• Sleep Apnea Tests
• out

Causes of General Symptom Types

Research the causes of these more general types of symptom:

• Sleep symptoms (443 causes)
• Sleeping problems (314 causes)

Causes of Similar Symptoms to Insomnia

Research the causes of these symptoms that are similar to, or related to, the symptom Insomnia:

• Restlessness (184 causes)

Diagnostic Guides for Insomnia

12 MEDICAL SYMPTOM BOOKS: FULL TEXT ONLINE! Read the full text of published book sections related to Insomnia from the following published medical books for more detailed information about Insomnia. Free access (no registration): read all online diagnostic book sections about Insomnia

Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Misdiagnosis and Insomnia

Insidious cancer misdiagnosed as mental health condition: Pancreatic cancer is fortunately relatively rare, but this dangerous condition can be misdiagnosed as a mental condition in its...read more »

RLS sleep disorder causing night-time leg sensations often misdiagnosed: A common but relatively unknown sleep-related disorder called Restless Leg Syndrome...read more »

Read more about Misdiagnosis and Insomnia

Diagnostic tests for Insomnia:

Various tests are used in the diagnosis of Insomnia. Some of these are listed below :

• Blood tests
  • Thyroid function test, if suspect hyperthyroidism
• Urine tests
  • Urine drug screen, if appropriate
• Sleep diary

See full list of 7 diagnostic tests for Insomnia

Diagnosis Checklist: Questions your doctor may ask (and why!)

During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques in their assessment of Insomnia. Your doctor may ask several questions when assessing your condition. It is important to remember that your consultation is a two-way process and any extra information you can share with your doctor about your symptoms may help them with their diagnosis. Some of the questions your doctor may ask are listed below:

• How long have you had problems with insomnia? - to determine if acute or chronic. Transient insomnia can last up to 3-4 weeks and after that it is considered to be chronic.
• Is the sleep disturbance problem with sleep onset (initial insomnia), sleep maintenance (middle insomnia) or premature awakening (late insomnia)?
• What is the sleeping environment? - Common problems with the sleeping environment that may contribute to insomnia and sleep disturbance include noise, extreme temperatures, poorly ventilated room, hot bedroom, cold bedroom, mattress that is too soft or hard, too much light in bedroom.
• Do you take day time naps? - may cause or prolong the problem of insomnia.
• What is the age of the person with insomnia? - a reduction in sleep requirements often accompanies aging. If the sleep disturbance is in a child or infant must consider hunger, colic, indigestion, dirty diaper, too hot, too cold, teething.

See Diagnosis Checklist for Insomnia (27 listings)

Diagnosis Checklist: Associated symptoms your doctor may ask about (and why!)

Sometimes, other symptoms may be present and may help your doctor analyse your condition. The symptoms your doctor may ask about (in association with Insomnia) may include:

• Night urination? - causes of night time urination such as cystitis, prostatitis, benign enlargement of the prostate, prostate cancer, diuretic usage and diabetes may effectively cause insomnia due to the practical need to urinate.
• Pain or physical discomfort? - any disease that causes any discomfort may interfere with sleep such as chronic back pain, arthritis pain, peptic ulcer pain, angina chest pain, skin ulcer pain, ear ache, tooth ache, anal itch, leg cramps.
• Shortness of breath at night? - any disease that causes shortness of breath especially at night may interfere with sleep such as congestive heart failure, asthma, emphysema.
• Symptoms of hyperthyroidism? - e.g. loose bowel motions, intolerance to heat, sweating of hands, muscle weakness, increased appetite, weight loss, heart palpitations, emotional disturbance, sleep disturbance.
• Symptoms of menopause? - e.g. hot flushes, night sweats, heart palpitations, lightheadedness, dry vaginal, dry skin, headaches, disturbed sleep due to night sweats and hot flushes.

See Diagnosis Checklist for Insomnia (27 listings)

Stories from Users for Insomnia

Real-life user stories relating to Insomnia:

• can't sleep
• cant sleep... Please Read, Need Advice
• Wake up early - World spinning
• Sleep disturbed 8 hours after large meal or meal with fat or cheese
• Recurring anxiety, fatigue, shaky, achy, restlessness, insomnia, sinus
• Can't sleep tonight
• Cured my insomnia.
• Insomnia Study Can Participate Online!

Symptom specific forums: The following patient stories in our interactive forums and message boards relate to Insomnia or relevant symptoms:

• Constitutional (General Wellbeing) (156)
  • Sore Scalp/hair follicles
  • Fat loss in entire body
  • Dont know how much more I can take..
  • I'm Lost.
  • My wife does not sweat I'm worried
  • More user stories
• Psychiatric (Mental Health) (218)
  • PLEASE can anyone help my son?!
  • My husbands making me sad
  • Heart condition or mental health problem?
  • Anxiety or...?
  • Weird Behavior at School. Normal?
  • More user stories

Videos for Insomnia

Patient Surveys for Insomnia

• Patient Profile Survey
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• Survey about diseases related to your Insomnia
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Causes of Insomnia listed in Disease Database:

Other medical conditions listed in the Disease Database as possible causes of Insomnia as a symptom include:

• Acute intermittent porphyria
• Amantadine
• Aminophylline
• Amiodarone
• Amphetamine
• Aspirin
• Bipolar affective disorder
• Bupropion
• Caffeine
• Clonazepam
• Clonidine
• Dexamfetamine
• Diazepam
• Efavirenz
• Escitalopram
• Fatal familial insomnia
• Jet lag
• Kleine-Levin-Critchley syndrome
• Lamotrigine
• Lead

See full list of 257 causes of Insomnia
- (Source - Diseases Database)

Medications or substances causing Insomnia:

The following drugs, medications, substances or toxins are some of the possible causes of Insomnia as a symptom. Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using, including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.

• Various common substances can cause insomnia:
  • Caffeine - especially before bedtime, but even in the afternoon for some people.
  • Coffee - coffee contains caffeine
  • Tea - contains caffeine
  • Colas - many contain caffeine

See full list of 286 medications causing Insomnia

Drug interactions causing Insomnia:

When combined, certain drugs, medications, substances or toxins may react causing Insomnia as a symptom. Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using, including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.

• Cipro (Ciprofloxacin) and Aerolate interaction
• Cipro (Ciprofloxacin) and Bronkodyl interaction
• Cipro (Ciprofloxacin) and Elixophyllin interaction
• Cipro (Ciprofloxacin) and Slo-bid interaction
• Cipro (Ciprofloxacin) and Theobid interaction

See full list of 1667 drug interactions causing Insomnia

Article Excerpts about Insomnia

Insomnia is the perception or complaint of inadequate or poor-quality sleep because of one or more of the following:

• difficulty falling asleep

• waking up frequently during the night with difficulty returning to sleep

• waking up too early in the morning

• unrefreshing sleep

Insomnia is the perception or complaint of inadequate or poor-quality sleep because of one or more of the following:

• difficulty falling asleep

• waking up frequently during the night with difficulty returning to sleep

• waking up too early in the morning

• unrefreshing sleep

Definitions of Insomnia:

Insomnia: Inability to sleep, in the absence of external impediments (e.g., noise, a bright light) during the period when sleep should normally occur; may vary in degree from restlessness or disturbed slumber to a curtailment of the normal length of sleep or to absolute wakefulness. SYN: sleeplessness. [L. fr. in- priv. + somnus, sleep]
Source: Stedman's Medical Spellchecker, © 2006 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Disorders characterized by impairment of the ability to initiate or maintain sleep. This may occur as a primary disorder or in association with another medical or psychiatric condition.
- (Source - Diseases Database)

An inability to sleep; chronic sleeplessness
- (Source - WordNet 2.1)

Difficulty in going to sleep or getting enough sleep.
- (Source - National Cancer Institute)

Organs affected by Insomnia:

The list of organs typically affected by Insomnia may include, but is not limited to:

• Brain

Detailed list of causes of Insomnia

The list below shows some of the causes of Insomnia mentioned in various sources:

• Abuse dwarfism syndrome - insomnia
• Acrodynia - insomnia
• Acute intermittent porphyria - insomnia
• Alcohol Withdrawal - insomnia
• Alcohol withdrawal syndrome

See full list of 257 causes of Insomnia

How Common are these Causes of Insomnia?

This information refers to the general prevalence and incidence of these diseases, not to how likely they are to be the actual cause of Insomnia. Of the 257 causes of Insomnia that we have listed, we have the following prevalence/incidence information:

• 20 causes are "very common" diseases
• 17 causes are "common" diseases
• 1 causes are "uncommon" diseases
• 2 causes are "rare" diseases
• 7 causes are "very rare" diseases
• 231 causes have no prevalence information.

See the analysis of the prevalence of 257 causes of Insomnia

Conditions listing symptoms: Insomnia:

The following list of conditions have 'Insomnia' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.

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Causes of Insomnia Based on Risk Factors

This information shows analysis of the list of causes of Insomnia based on whether certain risk factors apply to the patient: