Medical Conditions That Can Cause Insomnia

Insomnia is a term for difficulty sleeping or staying asleep. There are many medical conditions that can cause individuals to experience insomnia. Chronic pain, digestive problems, breathing problems and restless leg syndrome can all result in insomnia. Once the symptoms of the underlying condition are addressed, however, insomnia will typically clear up on its own.

Breathing Difficulties

Breathing problems, such as asthma and sleep apnea, can reduce an individual's ability to stay asleep. Asthma is a condition that causes airways to shrink, lessening the amount of air that can be brought into the lungs with each breath. In sleep apnea, the individual stops breathing and then resumes. Both of these conditions cause a lack of oxygen during sleep, which prevents the individual from sleeping soundly.

Heartburn

Heartburn exists when stomach acid travels up to burn the esophagus and back of the throat. The discomfort of this condition can cause great difficulty falling asleep. Sleeping propped up, a common preventative measure for heartburn, can also cause many individuals to have trouble falling asleep due to the awkward position.

Pain

There are medical conditions that cause chronic aches and pains, which are also causes of insomnia. Migraine sufferers, and individuals with cluster headaches, often have trouble sleeping due to the intense pain of their condition. Arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome and other conditions that cause joint pain can also contribute to insomnia.

Restless Leg Syndrome

Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a medical condition that causes the sufferer to feel as though they must constantly move their legs. This restless feeling keeps the person from finding a comfortable position, or staying in the same position for more than a moment. This effectively prevents the RLS sufferer from getting any restful sleep.

Considerations

The medical conditions that cause insomnia are treatable in most cases. With a doctor's care, the symptoms that prevent sleep can be mitigated to a large extent. Asthma medications are effective at preventing asthmatic episodes, and sleep apnea can be cured by a variety of means, including weight loss. Long-term preventative acid-reduction medication can eliminate heartburn symptoms in most people. Chronic pain can be relieved with many types of pain medication, and medication also exists to combat the symptoms of RLS.