What causes sleep problems?

If you are having trouble sleeping or have some feeling of fear during sleep. Here are some causes that may interfere deep sleep. 

There are many reasons you may experience sleep problems. Common causes of sleep problems are:

• a poor sleep routine – going to bed too early or too late, or not relaxing properly before bed
• a poor sleep environment – sleeping somewhere uncomfortable, or with too much light or noise
• changes to sleep patterns – working night shifts or sleeping in a new place can be a problem if your body doesn’t adjust
• unhelpful psychological associations – developing anxieties or phobias about going to sleep after a period of poor sleep, or associating the bedroom with being active
• physical illness – being uncomfortable or in pain, having a physical sleep condition such as snoring or sleep apnoea (problems breathing while sleeping), or having a hormone or neurological disorder such as an overactive thyroid or Parkinson’s disease
• alcohol, street drugs and stimulants – (including caffeine and nicotine)
• medication – having trouble sleeping as a side effect of certain medication, such as epilepsy and asthma drugs, or antidepressants
• stress, worry and anxiety – feeling nervous about a specific issue, such as work, money, family or relationships; or a specific event, such as an interview or appointment
• trauma – finding it hard to sleep after experiencing a traumatic event, such as an accident or a bereavement; experiencing long-term sleep problems as a result of long-term trauma or abuse, particularly if the trauma happened during childhood
• mental health problems