Depression is the most commonly studied comorbidity of insomnia, with strong evidence of bidirectional effects between the two conditions. Anxiety and ADHD are disorders that are also often comorbid with sleep problems and depression, and they are characterized by hyperarousal, a key feature of insomnia.
Anxiety and cognitive distortions seen in various psychiatric disorders can also contribute to hyperarousal seen in insomnia and perpetuate chronic insomnia. The same pathophysiological mechanisms that cause psychiatric disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and psychosis, can also cause insomnia or hypersomnia.
Anxiety can cause racing or repetitive thoughts, and worries that keep you awake. You may also have panic attacks while you're trying to sleep. Depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD) can make you sleep more, including staying in bed for longer or sleeping more often. Depression can also cause insomnia.
The prevalence of chronic insomnia coexisting with 1 or more psychiatric or medical conditions is significant, with particularly high rates seen in patients with depression, chronic pain, respiratory conditions, and diabetes.
Up to 80% of people with schizophrenia report symptoms of insomnia (Cohrs, 2008). Our own work has shown that over half of patients with persecutory delusions report moderate or severe insomnia (Freeman, Pugh, Vorontsova and Southgate, 2009).
Thus, while the sedative effect of some antipsychotic medications may have a negative impact on patients, atypical antipsychotics such as risperidone and olanzapine may have the potential to improve the quality of sleep in individuals with schizophrenia.
Antipsychotics don't help much.
The drugs often make people drowsy, but there is little evidence that they actually help you fall or stay asleep. Antipsychotics don't have clear benefits, and the risks can be serious.
Chronic Insomnia
Insomnia is considered chronic if a person has trouble falling asleep or staying asleep at least three nights per week for three months or longer. Some people with chronic insomnia have a long history of difficulty sleeping.
About one in seven adults has chronic (long-term) insomnia. Chronic insomnia can affect your ability to do daily tasks like working, going to school, or caring for yourself. Insomnia is more common in women, especially older women, than in men.
It's not always clear what triggers insomnia, but it's often associated with: stress and anxiety. a poor sleeping environment – such as an uncomfortable bed, or a bedroom that's too light, noisy, hot or cold.
Sleep difficulties are linked to both physical and emotional problems. Sleep problems can both contribute to or exacerbate mental health conditions and can be a symptom of other mental health conditions. About one-third of adults report insomnia symptoms and 6-10 percent meet the criteria for insomnia disorder.
Insomnia - being unable to fall asleep and stay asleep. This is the most common sleep disorder.
A psychologist or psychiatrist can offer counseling or behavioral therapy to help treat your insomnia. They can also treat other mental health conditions that might be causing your sleep problems.
Sleep disturbance is a core symptom of bipolar disorder. The diagnostic criteria indicate that during manic episodes there may be a reduced need for sleep and during episodes of depression, insomnia or hypersomnia can be experienced nearly every day (American Psychiatric Association, 2000).
Insomnias with difficulties of initiating and maintaining sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness, motor disorders during sleep and parasomnias, early awakening and impaired sleep quality frequently accompany neurological diseases as secondary or comorbid conditions.
Central sleep apnea, narcolepsy, insomnia, and restless legs syndrome can all be related to neurological issues and are best treated by a neurologist.
People who do not unwind from the day's stresses are more likely to sleep poorly. People with other sleep disorders, such as restless legs syndrome and sleep apnea. People with genetic predisposition are also more likely to develop insomnia.
Shortened life expectancy
A more recent study looked at the effects of persistent insomnia and mortality over 38 years. The researchers found that those with persistent insomnia had a 97 percent increased risk of death.
Nearly half (48%) of all Australian adults report at least 2 sleep-related problems. Too much or too little sleep is associated with an increased risk of chronic health conditions and risk factors.
Fatal familial insomnia (FFI) is a rare genetic degenerative brain disorder. It is characterized by an inability to sleep (insomnia) that may be initially mild, but progressively worsens, leading to significant physical and mental deterioration.
Common causes of insomnia include stress, an irregular sleep schedule, poor sleeping habits, mental health disorders like anxiety and depression, physical illnesses and pain, medications, neurological problems, and specific sleep disorders.
A person with insomnia needs a doctor's attention if it lasts longer than 3-4 weeks, or sooner if it interferes with a person's daytime activities and ability to function.
In particular, antipsychotic drugs have been linked to an increased risk of falls, diabetes and heart disease. Older adults are also more likely to be prescribed multiple medications, increasing the likelihood of negative drug interactions.
If you stop antipsychotics suddenly it can cause 'rebound psychosis'. This means that the symptoms of your illness return suddenly, and you may become unwell again. This is also known as 'relapse'. If you or your family or friends think you are becoming unwell again, you should speak to your doctor.
The general consensus amongst studies is that quetiapine should be avoided as a drug for insomnia. The results are reinforced by a review of quetiapine for use in insomnia which concluded that any benefit in the treatment of insomnia has not been proven to outweigh potential risks.