What may increase your risk of a sleep problem?
Many conditions, lifestyle choices, medicines, and diseases may interfere with your ability to sleep. You may be at risk for a more serious problem from your symptoms if you have any of the following. Be sure to tell your health professional.
Conditions
- Age older than 60
- History of a traumatic brain injury
- Previous suicide attempt
- Family history of suicide or attempted suicide
Lifestyle choices
- Excessive caffeine use
- Alcohol abuse or withdrawal
- Drug abuse or withdrawal
- Smoking or other tobacco use
Medicines
- Blood pressure medicines, such as clonidine, propranolol, atenolol, and methyldopa
- Chemotherapy or radiation therapy
- Cold medicines or nonprescription medicines that contain caffeine
- Diet pills, such as Adipex and phentermine
- Hormones, such as birth control pills, thyroid, cortisone, and progesterone
- Medicines that depress the nervous system functions (depressants), such as tranquilizers, sedatives, or pain pills
- Medicines used to treat asthma, such as theophylline, albuterol, and salmeterol
- Medicines used to treat irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias), such as quinidine
- Medicines used to treat seizure disorders, such as phenytoin
- Medicines used to treat Parkinson's disease, such as levodopa
- SSRI antidepressants, such as fluoxetine and paroxetine
- Steroids, such as prednisone
- Stimulants, such as methylphenidate, cocaine, or amphetamines
Diseases
- Alzheimer's disease
- Anemia
- Asthma
- Cancer
- Chronic bronchitis
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or emphysema
- Coronary artery disease
- Cystic fibrosis
- Diabetes
- Epilepsy
- Fibromyalgia
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Heartburn
- High blood pressure
- History of a mental health problem, such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety attacks, or schizophrenia
- Huntington's disease
- Hyperthyroidism
- Hypothyroidism
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
- Migraine or cluster headaches
- Painful conditions such as arthritis, back pain, and sickle cell disease
- Parkinson's disease
- Peptic ulcer disease
- Prostate enlargement (benign prostatic hypertrophy [BPH])
- Sleep apnea
- Tourette's disorder
| Author: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA | Last Updated: January 12, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine Lisa S. Weinstock, MD - Psychiatry | |
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