Insomnia and women

Insomnia is a common complaint with many people today, with them attributing it to the stress and tension of modern living. Insomnia that was rare in the olden days has now turned more into a fashion, with women being more subject to insomnia than men.

Insomnia being more common in women finds them finding it difficult to sleep at night. It is quite common to see them tossing and turning and rolling on their stomachs unable to relax and sleep. It is good to understand that many experience insomnia as a result to some ailment that makes it difficult for them to get quality sleep.

The reasons for insomnia could be common health ailments like fever, cold, cough or could be due to more serious health disorders like stress, sadness, depression, heartburn, asthma, cancer, asthma and arthritis. It is also common to find insomnia being caused by substance abuse or certain medications.

You would also find people experiencing insomnia due to excess stress at work or home, due to being in abusive situations that bring down your self-esteem and self-confidence and other depressing and traumatic conditions.

It is not uncommon to find that getting effective sleep proves to be a problem for those that are exposed to extremes of environmental conditions that could include noise, light, temperature and cleanliness. Conditions like jet lag, changing shifts at work and irregular routine can also affect seep and cause insomnia.

It is a real pity that some may not be able to get sleep at night due to extreme stress conditions, pain, worries that are real and imaginary and discomfort in the bed at night.

It is significant to note that most women are prone to suffer from insomnia twice as men, with this complaint increasing as women grow older. This is due to the fact that a woman is very warm and compromising by nature and considers her comforts and needs more than the needs of the family.

It is also common for women to be caught up with career issues, with her balancing her home, children, spouse and social life leaving her with very less or not time to cater to her needs for sleep and relaxation. With sleep occupying an unimportant position in her life, it is quite common to find women suffering from insomnia at some time or other in her life leading her to wake up earlier than others in the morning. 
 
Causes for insomnia in women

Starting off with the causes of insomnia in women it is best to understand that a woman’s body undergoes various hormonal changes all life, with these changes brought about by premenstrual syndrome, menstruation, pregnancy and menopause.

This could cause insomnia. It is to be realized that the hormone estrogen helps keep one alert, while progesterone makes one feel sleepy. During the monthly menstrual cycle the level of progesterone decreases and this causes insomnia.

This is also the reason for insomnia during the premenstrual syndrome. Similarly during ovulation the level progesterone increases. So women feel more sleepy than usual.

This is responsible for more than 7 out of 10 women complaining of sleep problems during the monthly menstrual cycle. The depth of sleep and relaxation varied on different days between menstrual cycle, with insomnia turning into a recurrent and regular feature. It is significant to note that good sleep hygiene could help promote good sleep.

Next childbirth that could prove to be a life changing experience for most women, with most women being highly sensitive to small noises and cries of their newborn. This could make new mothers wake up easily, with some mothers having less or more of quality sleep than women that are childless. This feeling of motherhood and high sensitivity could cause insomnia problems even after the children have grown up fully.

Insomnia could also be caused in the menopause phase of a woman’s life when many experience fluctuations in the hormone level. It is common for many to experiences hot flashes that could accompanied by a feeling and sensation of anxiety, sweating and considerable wakefulness at night. Most menopausal women experience psychological distress due to the great changes in their life that causes insomnia.

A significant feature of insomnia in women is changes in the body during childbirth, menopause and monthly cycles that cause significant changes in life, with fluctuations in female hormones causing temporary and frequent insomnia symptoms. It is also true that multi-tasking with no time to relax in activities of one’s interests contributes to insomnia in many women.

Last but most important, increasing family responsibilities with modern lifestyles have contributed to insomnia in many people of the fair sex. It is a general realized fact that women are tied up with a lot of family obligations and work that leaves them with no or little time to look after themselves with exercise, leisure and recreational activities and relaxation; it is true that the life in modern times is a major cause of insomnia in women.