Insomnia may increase your risk of health conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure, and anxiety. It can be managed through lifestyle changes or medications.

Almost everyone experiences occasional sleeplessness from time to time. Some external factors can affect your ability to get high quality sleep. These can include:

  • stress
  • jet lag
  • your sleep environment

But if you regularly have difficulty sleeping through the night, it’s best to determine and treat the underlying cause. Not getting enough sleep can raise your risk of certain health conditions.

Keep reading to learn about the effects of insomnia on the body, tips for managing insomnia, and when to get help from a professional.

There are serious health effects associated with chronic insomnia. Chronic or long-term insomnia lasts 3 or more nightsTrusted Source per week for more than 3 months and can’t be explained by another health condition.

Cardiovascular disease

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH)Trusted Source, chronic insomnia may increase your risk of:

Mental health conditions

Individuals with anxiety may be more prone to insomnia. Insomnia can also increase the risk of developing anxiety or worsen existing anxiety.

Insomnia can also increaseTrusted Source your risk of depression and make existing depression worse.

Cognition and concentration

Insomnia can also affect your memory and concentration. Sleeplessness at night can make it harder to focus during the hours you are awake.

A 2021 study found that insomnia may increase the risk of developing a memory problem in older adults.

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)Trusted Source, this is because your brain uses sleep to create and maintain pathways in your brain. Your brain is incredibly active while you are asleep and performs different functions during the different sleep cycles.

Not getting enough sleep may also increase the risk of dementia, particularly among middle-aged adults.

Immune health

Chronic insomnia can affect your immune system’s ability to regulate itself. This may lead to an increased risk of illness and affect the body’s ability to target illnesses. It may also increase the risk of chronic diseases, including:

  • neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease
  • cancer
  • autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis
  • metabolic diseases, like diabetes
  • cardiovascular diseases

Increased risk of cancer and neurological disease

Chronic insomnia can increase your risk of certain diseases. One reason for this is that while you’re sleeping, your brain may removeTrusted Source toxins that build up during the day while you are awake. Without enough sleep, these toxins may continue to build up without being cleared.

Chronic insomnia may be associated with an increased risk of developing cancer across all age groups. However, certain types of cancer may have an increased risk depending on your sex assigned at birth and your age. These can include:

  • leukemia
  • lung, kidney, and prostate cancers, in males
  • oral, thyroid, and nerve cancers, in females

However, more research is still needed to fully understand the relationship between insomnia and cancer risk.

Accidents

Individuals with insomnia may also have a higher risk of getting into traffic accidents compared to individuals without insomnia.

This is likely because sleep deprivation can make you less aware and more prone to microsleep, or quick second-long bursts of sleep. Accidents may happen during these brief moments of sleep.

Intrapersonal communication and emotions

Sleep benefitsTrusted Source your emotions and emotional regulation. When you are in a sleep-deprived state, you may feel more prone to anger or have difficulty interpreting others’ emotions correctly.

Not getting enough sleep can affect your ability to manage conflict with another person, which may lead to arguments and tension. This, in turn, can create stress.

Insomnia can have a variety of lifestyle causes, such as:

  • age
  • shift or night work
  • exposure to noise or light during the night
  • uncomfortable room temperature
  • jet lag
  • irregular sleep schedule
  • napping during the day
  • lack of exercise
  • caffeine use too close to bedtime
  • electronic device use close to bedtime
  • stress
  • major life changes
  • certain health conditions, including cancer, neurological disorders, chronic pain, and menopause

There are many strategies for treating insomnia. Before you talk with a doctor about medications or therapy, you may consider making lifestyle changes to support an improved sleep routine.

Lifestyle changes for better sleep

  • Establishing a regular sleep schedule
  • Getting light exposure during the day and after dark to help regulate your circadian rhythm
  • Ensuring the bedroom is quiet and set at a cool temperature
  • Avoiding electronic use at least 30 minutes before bedtime
  • Doing a relaxing activity to wind down for bed, like reading or gentle yoga
  • Avoiding large meals before bedtime
  • Avoiding alcohol and caffeine close to bedtime
  • Getting regular exercise during the day
  • Going to bed only when you’re tired, which can help prevent anxiety about not being able to fall asleep
  • Using your bed only for sleep and sex
  • Eating a balanced diet

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-I)

The American College of Physicians recommends cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, or CBT-I, as the first-line treatment for chronic insomnia in adults.

CBT-I is a form of therapy that helps you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer by:

  • reframing negative or anxious thoughts about sleep
  • teaching you ways to relax and sleep hygiene habits
  • initially restricting the amount of time you spend in bed to increase your drive to sleep
  • helping you associate going to bed with sleeping by recommending you go to bed only when you are sleepy and get out of bed if you cannot sleep

Melatonin supplements

Melatonin is a hormone your body makes to help regulate sleep by telling your body it’s time for bed. An over-the-counter (OTC) melatonin supplement may helpTrusted Source you fall asleep faster and improve sleep quality.

Even though it is available without a prescription, it’s best to talk with your doctor before taking melatonin. Your doctor will be able to advise you on whether melatonin is appropriate for your individual health needs.

Your doctor may advise you to start with a 2 mg dose 30 minutes to 1 hour before bed. They may also advise you not to take it every night to see if it improves your sleep. Then, depending on your needs, they may increase the dose up to 10 mgTrusted Source.

Keep in mind that melatonin is generally not recommendedTrusted Source for long term use, as researchers are still studying its possible effects. Some people may also experience nightmares while using melatonin.

Some mild side effects have been reported for higher doses and extended-release options. These may includeTrusted Source:

Talk with your doctor if you experience any of these effects after taking melatonin.

Moreover, it is important to remember that melatonin is not FDA-approvedTrusted Source for treating insomnia. Thus, any use of melatonin for insomnia would be off-label.

Sleep medication

Doctors may recommend sleep medication for some people with chronic insomnia. They’ll advise you on how long you should take any medication, if needed.

It is not recommended to take sleeping pills on a long-term basis.

Some of the prescription medications that a doctor may prescribe includeTrusted Source:

These prescription pills may cause adverse effects, such as:

If you experience any adverse effects, it’s best to talk with your doctor. They may recommend switching to a different medication or help you find alternatives to medication.

Although it’s common to have insomnia from time to time, you should schedule an appointment with a doctor if you regularly experience insomnia or if the lack of sleep is negatively affecting your life.

As part of the diagnostic process, your doctor will likely perform a physical exam and ask about your symptoms.

They will also want to know about your medications and overall medical history. This is to see if there’s an underlying cause for your insomnia. If there is, your doctor will treat that condition first.

They may recommend a sleep study. This overnight test evaluates your sleep quality and other factors that may impact it, such as sleep apnea.

Insomnia may increase your risk for conditions such as heart disease, depression, and diabetes. It can also negatively impact your memory and increase your risk of accidents.

Some lifestyle changes you can make to manage insomnia include establishing a regular sleep schedule, avoiding caffeine before bed, and getting regular exercise.

However, if these changes do not work, you may consider asking your doctor about treatment for insomnia.