Can insomnia cause other disorders?

Can insomnia cause other disorders?

Irshaad Ebrahim (Medical Director of The London Sleep Centre) gives expert video advice on: What is insomnia?; What happens to people who suffer insomnia, over time?; How many people suffer from insomnia? and more...

The relationship between insomnia and other disorders is quite complex. Insomnia can be secondary to other disorders. For example, in depression one frequently finds in people with depression; an early-morning-waking type of insomnia. People with anxiety disorders, who tend to worry excessively, tend to have a sleep initiating type of insomnia, where they can't fall asleep, and they lie in bed spending hours worrying about things. Having said that, long-term insomnia can result in disruption of the serotonin mechanisms in the brain. And this, in turn, can then lead on to symptoms of anxiety and depression. So it's a bit like the chicken and egg—what came first?