TedEd: What causes insomnia?

A TedEd by Dan Kwartler

Why do you stay awake at night? There might be many quickly resolved reasons, but there is a type of stress that causes continued sleeplessness. Insomnia is stress about not being able to sleep, which seems like an endless loop. There are many common reasons like pain and emotions that may keep you awake, and longer sleeplessness that is caused by jet lag when your circadian clock is off. Usually, fatigue puts us to sleep. But sometimes, underlying conditions can prolong this, and the bedroom becomes associated with the stresses of insomnia. This causes the brain to produce hormones that are normally produced when in danger, causing you to become hyper. In this state, you are constantly looking for threats, so even the slightest thing becomes major to you. So even when you do get some sleep, you do not get good sleep. Usually, your metabolism slows to conserve glucose, which the brain needs. But PET scans show that insomniacs increase metabolism, draining glucose and making them tired. When this lasts months, it becomes chronic insomnia, which may also cause anxiety and depression. Fortunately, there are treatments. You can relieve stress, make sure there are no distractions in your bedroom, and try to make yourself tired with relaxing activities. You should also sleep on schedule to keep your biological circadian rhythm in place. Of course, insomnia-like symptoms can also be caused by genetics. Some people have circadian clocks that last longer than 24 hours, making it seem like they can't sleep, but they can get sleep, too - just on their own schedule.