The elderly are more prone to insomnia than the rest of the population. Since they spend less time in NREM sleep, they do not get as much deep rest and are more prone to frequent awakenings in the night. The elderly are also more prone to anxiety, depression, and illnesses such as arthritis that can cause or aggravate insomnia. It is usually caused by too much stress or excitement, or a sudden change in one's sleeping or waking schedule. This type of insomnia is often due to stress at work or at home.
Psychological factors account for one half of all cases of insomnia.
Each year about 5 million people use some kind of sleep medication. Insomnia and other sleep disorders cause high levels of work absenteeism and cost the United States billions of dollars annually in lost work days. It is estimated that up to 200,000 automobile accidents per year may be related to falling asleep while driving. See Also Side Effects of Modern Medical Treatment for Insomnia. The content in these information pages is provided by the Maharishi Vedic Health Center .