What causes insomnia? Can alcohol cause insomnia? And does blue light cause insomnia? Can stress cause insomnia? Reflectively, 2017 Sleep Health Foundation Survey reported that 50% of Australians are suffering insomnia symptoms such as insufficient sleep. A further 39% are exhausted, which is another symptom of insomnia, it’s about time we dug into this topic a little deeper. However, as to not overwhelm you, here are the top 4 causes of insomnia.

Blue light

It’s suggested that blue light causes insomnia – light is the main factor to control melatonin, your sleepiness hormone. And, unless you’re wearing blue light blocking glasses, your melatonin levels are suppressed, and your brain is being told to be alert and active. Knowing how common it is to end the day binge watching TV, this is a huge factor in what causes insomnia.

Ceiling lights

Following from the above, did you know that regular lights also emit blue light? So yes, unless you have  blue light free lights, you may have difficulty sleeping. As demonstrated by this scientific study, your lights can delaying your melatonin synthesis by 90 minutes.

Lack of stress releasing practices, such as meditation

Sleep and stress are synergistic — reduce stress and you’ll improve sleep; and vice versa. Because of this, I ask: what’s your daily stress reducing activity? Do you allocate enough time to unwind after the day – without TV or alcohol, which only mask your stress and cause you to feel worse after their effects have worn off?

Sugary drinks, including alcohol

As noted in this article here, alcohol causes insomnia – at least, in part. Stimulating the release of cortisol; alcohol can leave you feeling anxious, restless, and sleepless. This is even more likely if your drink contains high levels of sugar – such as a cocktail, soft drink and spirit, or even a gin and tonic. Yes, even the seemingly harmless gin and tonic is a culprit here too – tonic water has the same amount of sugar as a lemonade.

This article originally featured on Amodrn