There are certain things that are likely to increase your risk of experiencing a poor night's sleep.
- Increasing age increases your risk of insomnia1 and also reduces the hours of sleep you need each night.2
- Some medications and recreational substances, particularly when taken in the evening, can cause sleep difficulties.
- Being a woman makes it more likely you'll experience insomnia symptoms.3 Pregnancy, hormonal changes and menopause can all interfere with your sleep.
- Worry is a key driver of insomnia, particularly when it comes to short-term insomnia.
- Shift work can interfere with your sleep-wake cycle, making it difficult to sleep at the time when you need to.
- Jetlag is caused by travelling through several time zones in a west-east or east-west direction. Your body clock becomes confused about the right time to sleep and it can take several days to adjust to your new location.
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References
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www.winchesterhospital.org/health-library/article?id=19708 accessed 6 June 2019
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https://www.sleepfoundation.org/press-release/national-sleep-foundation-recommends-new-sleep-times accessed 2 Aug 2019
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https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/how-sleep-different-men-and-women accessed 2 Aug 2019