Tag Archives: insomnia

The Top 6 Causes of Insomnia

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Top Causes of InsomniaIn a recent article, What is Insomina?, we defined the different types of insomnia and touched upon some common causes and symptoms. Today, we’re going to take a closer look at the many different factors that can cause insomnia. There are over ten major causes, including stress, medication and anxiety. Being aware of the causes gives you the ability to make life changes (sometimes extremely simple ones) that can help you get a better night’s sleep on a consistent basis.

In all of these cases, seeking help from a medical professional, as well a trusted friend or family member, is highly advised. Here’s our list of the top 6 causes of insomnia, in alphabetical order …

Anxiety
Everybody suffers from anxiety sometimes. But some of us have more severe anxiety disorders, like post-traumatic stress disorder or constant worry that may be disruptive to our sleep and cause insomnia.

Caffeine (Nicotine & Alcohol)
Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants. Refrain from drinking coffee in the late afternoon or evening. And although alcohol is a sedative that can initially make you sleepy, it also stops your body from entering the deeper stages of sleep, causing you to wake up during the night.

Depression
With depression, you might suffer from insomnia or actually sleep too much.

Medical Conditions
Chronic pain, arthritis, asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), overactive thyroid, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s and other medical conditions can cause insomnia.

Medications
There is a lineage of prescription drugs that can cause insomnia. They include medications for depression, allergies and high blood pressure. Here’s a partial list of some of the meds that can cause insomnia:

  • ACE Inhibitors
  • Alpha-blockers
  • ARBs
  • Beta-blockers
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors
  • Corticosteroids
  • H1 Antagonists
  • SSRI Antidepressants
  • Statins

Stress
Like anxiety, everybody has stress in his or her lives. How we perceive the stressful event is often what drives how stressed we actually feel. If we’re feeling like stress is a heavy weight on our back, it can cause insomnia.

In addition to the issues listed above, another factor that can lead to insomnia is sleeping on an unsupportive/uncomfortable mattress or pillow. If this is the case, we suggest finding a mattress that supports your body and trying a supportive pillow like ours. Learn more about how our pillow can help you sleep better.

Thank you for visiting Natural Comfort Pillow! We wish you a good night’s rest!

What is Insomnia?

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Insomnia and neck and shoulder painIf you suffer from insomnia, you know how frustrating and debilitating it can be. Of course, everyone experiences a restless night here and there, but when it’s constant the need for a solution becomes critical to one’s overall health and happiness. Let’s clearly define what insomnia is, and in doing so help you determine whether or not you might be suffering from it.

INSOMNIA DEFINED
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), approximately 30 percent of adults experience sleep disruption of some kind, and insomnia is more common than you may think.

Insomnia sufferers fall into two main categories: those who have difficulty falling asleep, and those who have difficulty staying asleep. Adults who struggle with insomnia may also wake up several times each night, or wake up too early in the morning feeling tired.

In addition, insomnia may only occur occasionally, or can be an ongoing problem.

Acute Insomnia does not last long. It typically occurs in association with a stressful or big event, like a job change, job loss, final exam or getting married. And although many people experience this type of insomnia, it often resolves itself without any formal treatment.

Chronic insomnia typically occurs a minimum of three nights per week for a minimum of three months. There are many factors that can cause chronic insomnia, including unhealthy sleep habits, 2nd or 3rd shift work, certain types of medication, as well as neck and shoulder pain. Sufferers of chronic insomnia can often benefit from treatment that addresses the underlying causes of their sleep disorder.

Common Insomnia Symptoms

  • Fatigue
  • Low energy
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Mood disturbances
  • Decreased performance in work or at school

Common Causes of Insomnia

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Stress
  • Poor sleep habits like watching TV in bed
  • Stimulants like tobacco, caffeine and alcohol
  • Neck and shoulder pain

Let’s take a closer look at that last point — neck and shoulder pain. This can have many causes, including overexertion, stress, your pillow and your mattress.

Many people don’t realize that using a non-supportive pillow can be detrimental to spine alignment. In addition, a non-supportive pillow can also cause muscles in the neck and shoulders to tense up causing pain and stiffness, which can lead to insomnia.

The Natural Comfort Pillow can help with both of these issues. Whether you’re a back- or side-lying sleeper, our pillow supports your neck and aligns your spine, helping your body’s muscles relax instead of tense up — helping you sleep better and wake up more refreshed (and less stiff).

Learn more about how our pillow helps with insomnia, as well as how it can relieve neck pain and shoulder pain.

Thank you for visiting Natural Comfort Pillow!

Welcome to the Natural Comfort Pillow Blog

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Therapeutic Natural Comfort PillowNatural Comfort Pillow has always been about doing out part to help improve the lives of our customers. Whether it’s relieving headaches, improving spine alignment, or addressing issues like insomnia or sleep apnea, our pillow has been providing relief to people for thirty years.

This blog is an extension of our philosophy — with a focus that goes beyond our physiotherapist-approved pillow to include exploration of different health-related topics.

Topics we’ll be covering include:

  • Neck Pain
  • Shoulder Pain
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Insomnia
  • Sleep Apnea
  • Snoring
  • TMJ
  • Migraines
  • Physical Therapy & Chiropractic

These topics are the areas we’ve been studying for three decades to help us make a better therapeutic pillow.

Beyond the Pillow

Although our Natural Comfort Pillow provides relief in all the areas mentioned above, taking an organic, whole-person approach to solutions for these conditions is what works best. In other words, we encourage you to take care of yourself throughout the day — not just when you’re sleeping — and our tips will help you do just that. Taking a whole-person approach is the most effective way to stay healthy and feel good.

Please note that our tips are not meant to replace the help of a professional doctor, physical therapist or chiropractor. But they are designed to raise your awareness regarding ways in which you can improve your health.

Learn More About Our Pillow
Haven’t tried our therapeutic pillow yet? Learn more about how it can improve the quality of your sleep — and your life.

Thanks for visiting Natural Comfort Pillow!