What keeps you up at night? Pondering deep questions? Excitement about a big trip? Stress about unfinished work? What if the very thing keeping you awake was stress about losing sleep? This seemingly unsolvable loop is at the heart of insomnia, the world's most common sleep disorder. So what is insomnia? And is there any way to break the cycle? Dan Kwartler details the science of insomnia. [TED-Ed Animation by Sharon Colman]

Dan Kwartler: What causes insomnia?

What causes insomnia?

Insomnia, a loop of stress about losing sleep, is illuminated as a complex disorder intertwined with our stress response system.

Poor sleep in insomniacs, marked by heightened metabolism and energy depletion, underscores the vicious cycle of exhaustion and stress.

Addressing insomnia involves managing stress and establishing sleep-promoting routines, offering a path to break the cycle of sleeplessness.