Occasional poor sleep usually comes from stress or habits, but insomnia that persists despite lifestyle changes may point to a condition worth checking.
Everyone has the odd night of tossing and turning because of worries, a new place to sleep or a noisy room. If this happens often, lasts a long time and does not improve even after you have adjusted your routine, it may be a sign of a condition that needs to be found and treated.
Daily habits that can cause insomnia
Short-term insomnia usually stems from lifestyle:
- Stress and anxiety: the mind keeps racing, making it hard to relax, fall asleep or stay asleep through the night.
- A disrupted body clock: shift changes, night work, staying up late or long-distance travel across several time zones upset the body's internal clock.
- Using phones, computers or TV close to bedtime: the brain stays alert, and screen light (especially blue light) can affect the release of melatonin, the hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle.
- Stimulating drinks: tea, coffee and energy drinks keep you alert; alcohol in the evening does not help you sleep well either and tends to make sleep broken.
- Eating too much or eating heavy food in the evening: this causes bloating and heartburn, especially in people with digestive problems.
- A bedroom that is too bright, noisy, hot or cold.
Conditions that can cause insomnia
When you have adjusted your habits and still struggle to sleep, medical causes should be considered:
- Allergies: a blocked nose, sneezing, an itchy nose and airway discomfort, often worse at night.
- Musculoskeletal conditions: pain from arthritis makes it hard to find a comfortable position, causing tossing, turning and waking many times.
- Heart disease: people with heart failure may cough at night and feel breathless when lying down; people with high blood pressure also often have trouble sleeping, especially when stressed.
- Thyroid disease: an overactive thyroid speeds up metabolism, causing a fast heartbeat, palpitations and restlessness.
- Gastroesophageal reflux: heartburn, a burning feeling behind the breastbone and coughing, often worse when lying down.
- Hormonal changes in women around and after menopause: hot flashes, night sweats, palpitations and mood changes.
- Mental health: depression, anxiety disorders or post-traumatic stress disorder often come with insomnia; conversely, long-term lack of sleep also wears down mental health.
When insomnia is caused by a sleep disorder
- Restless legs syndrome: an uncomfortable feeling in the legs and an urge to keep moving them, especially at rest or in the evening, making it hard to fall asleep.
- Sleep apnea: breathing is interrupted many times during the night; the person snores loudly, sometimes stops breathing, gasps and wakes up without realizing it. Fragmented sleep leads to tiredness and sleepiness during the day.
How to improve sleep at home
- Go to bed and get up at roughly the same time every day, including weekends.
- Put away phones and computers before bedtime.
- Keep the bedroom dark, quiet, airy and at a comfortable temperature.
- Cut down on coffee, tea and energy drinks from the afternoon onward.
- Avoid eating too much or eating heavy food close to bedtime.
- Relax by reading, listening to soft music, meditating or breathing deeply.
- Exercise regularly, such as walking, cycling, swimming or yoga; avoid intense workouts right before bed if they make it hard to sleep.
- Relieve stress by keeping a journal, talking with loved ones or seeing a psychologist when needed.
When to see a doctor
See a doctor when insomnia lasts a long time, keeps coming back, affects your work and daytime activities, or comes with chest pain, shortness of breath, loud snoring, pauses in breathing during sleep, or lasting low mood or anxiety. Do not buy sleeping pills on your own, because the right treatment depends on finding the right cause.
Trusted clinic for insomnia in Ho Chi Minh City
Ky Hoa Medical Center has nearly 20 years of experience in medical care in Ho Chi Minh City, with a team of highly qualified doctors and a careful, transparent way of working. For insomnia, our Internal Medicine doctors take time to listen, examine carefully and explain clearly so that you fully understand your condition, then agree together on a treatment and follow-up plan.
The center operates under Operating License No. 00449/HCM-GPHĐ, with a list of medical techniques approved by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health (Decision 471/QĐ-SYT), and is a primary care facility contracted with Ho Chi Minh City Social Security, accepting health insurance (BHYT) visits on Saturdays as well. The practising certificates of our 24 doctors are published on our Doctors page.
You can come to Ky Hoa Medical Center for an Internal Medicine consultation so the doctor can look for the cause: simply walk in during opening hours and take a queue number. For problems such as a blocked nose or loud snoring, the ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat) department can also help with the assessment.
Ky Hoa Medical Center
Address: 266A - 268 3 Thang 2 Street, Hoa Hung Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday, 6:30 - 11:30 and 13:00 - 17:00 (closed on Sunday)
Hotline: 028.3868.1097
Source: Suc Khoe & Doi Song (Health & Life) newspaper