What causes primary chronic insomnia for men in their 30s?

Question

Hello, Doctor,

I am a 35-year-old male and have been battling insomnia for almost a year now, and the thing that is driving me nuts is that nobody can tell me why. I do not drink much caffeine; I exercise; my lab results came back normal, and yet I am still staring at the ceiling at 3 a.m. more nights than not.

It feels like I am running on fumes some days, and it is starting to spill over into work and relationships.

Has anyone dealt with insomnia that seemed to come out of left field with no obvious trigger?
If so, what ended up being the missing piece of the puzzle?

Kindly help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I can understand your frustration.

I have gone through your query. Although this is a very brief history and is unable to reach a provisional diagnosis of what kind of sleep disorder you are experiencing, your history is mostly consistent with primary chronic insomnia.

Causes of primary chronic insomnia are hyperarousal of the central and autonomic nervous system, neurotransmitter imbalance that promotes the sleep and wakefulness state, prolonged activation of the hypothalamic pituitary axis that releases continuous cortisol, cognitive and behavioral arousal due to chronic sleep issues, and being excessively preoccupied with the thoughts of being unable to sleep, making efforts to fall asleep, etc.

Due to the hyperarousal of the central nervous system, metabolic activity and energy production in the brain increase significantly, which activates the cortex. In conclusion, primary insomnia can occur without any obvious triggers or neurological disorders.

I hope this information helps you.

Thank you.