Insomnia: Why You’re Not Sleeping and What Helps
Medically reviewed by Dr Henry Merola, Medical Director – MD | Core Care Clinic | Last updated: September 2026
Quick Answer Insomnia usually has an identifiable cause – stress, an underlying health condition, medication side effects, or learned sleep habits that have become counterproductive. A proper evaluation can identify the actual driver, rather than just recommending generic sleep hygiene tips. |
When Insomnia Is More Than “A Bad Week”
Everyone has rough nights occasionally. Insomnia becomes worth addressing when it’s happening regularly – several nights a week, for weeks at a time – and starting to affect how you function during the day.
The daytime effects are often what finally prompts someone to seek help: difficulty concentrating, irritability, or feeling like you’re operating at half capacity, even when you’re technically getting some sleep each night.
Common Underlying Causes
- Chronic stress or anxiety keeping your mind active at night
- An underlying health condition, including thyroid issues or chronic pain
- Medication side effects, including some common prescriptions
- Sleep apnea, which is more common than most people realize and often undiagnosed
- Learned patterns – irregular sleep timing, screen use before bed, or anxiety about sleep itself becoming part of the problem
Why a Real Evaluation Beats Generic Advice
The Sleep Foundation notes that persistent insomnia often has an identifiable, treatable root cause – which is why a real evaluation tends to help more than generic tips like “avoid caffeine” that may not address what’s actually driving the problem.
This might mean checking for an underlying condition, reviewing your current medications, or discussing structured behavioral approaches that address sleep patterns directly. It’s also worth mentioning if you snore heavily or wake up gasping – these can be signs of sleep apnea, a common and treatable cause of poor sleep that generic advice won’t fix.
Is it normal to have trouble sleeping sometimes?
Yes – occasional sleep trouble is common. It’s worth addressing when it becomes frequent or starts affecting your daily life.
Do I need a sleep study?
Not always – your provider will determine whether a sleep study is appropriate based on your specific symptoms and history.
Can insomnia be related to another health condition?
Yes, often – which is part of why an evaluation matters more than just treating the sleep symptom in isolation.
Sleep Concerns at Core Care Clinic
Available at all three locations – Waltham, North Andover, and Tampa.
This article is for general educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your provider for guidance specific to your health.
Not sleeping well? Book online or call 978-662-1002. |
