I’m sure at one point or another everyone has experienced a slight case of insomnia. It doesn’t matter how old you are, what stage of life you’re in, or what you do for a living, at some point in your life, you more than likely have experienced insomnia. And it could be caused by numerous different things – stress, depression, genetics… Insomnia is one of those things that doesn’t have one determining factor, and does not have a cure – which is what truly makes it a nightmare.
About 30-40% of Americans suffer from insomnia each year, and many don’t realize that it is insomnia they are dealing with. As I mentioned before, because there is no one thing that causes insomnia, it can sometimes be hard to pin point, but it is important to identify and try to solve the issue at hand. First things first, in order to know that we are suffering from insomnia we should know what it is. According to helpguide.org, insomnia can be defined as ‘the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep at night, resulting in unrefreshing or non-restorative sleep.’
Like other disorders, insomnia has different categories in which you can gauge just how serious things are. The first type is known as transient insomnia which is when symptoms last up to three nights. The next is acute insomnia (also called short term insomnia) which lasts for a few weeks. The last is known as chronic insomnia which lasts for months and even years. According to researches at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, chronic insomnia is also known as secondary insomnia because it is a side effect of some other issue.
Some of the many causes that lead to insomnia are day-to-day things, such as travel (jet lag), a change in work shifts, environmental things (high altitudes or noise), or even extreme heat or cold. If you suffer from certain psychological issues like bipolar disease, anxiety, or depression than you are more likely to also suffer from anxiety. Medical conditions can be to the underlying cause of insomnia; conditions such as chronic pain, chronic fatigue syndrome, heartburn, sleep apnea, Parkinson’s, or Alzheimer’s, and even hormone shifts can be blamed for the lack of sleep. And while there is no cure for insomnia, there are certain precautionary measures that can be taken to lessen the effects or even treat insomnia.
For chronic insomnia, the treatment is pretty simple – address the issue that is bothering you. First comes that difficult part – identify the problem. Once you figure out what the primary cause is, find a solution. Yes, of course, I know this is easier said than done, and it may take longer than just a few hours or days. Keep in mind that you have already fought half the battle by figuring out what it is that is eating at you; you’re halfway through the struggle! Another solution would be speaking with your doctor about the trouble you encounter when it comes time for bed. They might prescribe a sleep-aide such as Ambien (it works wonders!) or something more generic that can be found over the counter such as melatonin.
There are also little things that you can do to help improve your quality of sleep. Use relaxation techniques before bed, limit technology exposure before bed, and keeping the same sleep schedule (yes, even on the weekends) are just some of the things that you can do to help fight your insomnia.
While there are specific medical conditions, such as pregnancy, that can lead to insomnia, more often than not, that is not the situation. As mentioned before, the best thing to do is consult your physician about what is troubling you – if anything at all – to see what he/she recommends. Insomnia isn’t something to take lightly. It can lead to more serious heath problems, so if you think you are suffering from this disorder – even the most slightest case – please speak to your doctor right away. We don’t want the symptoms getting worse and lead to something much more disastrous.
For more information on insomnia please see: https://www.helpguide.org/articles/sleep/insomnia-causes-and-cures.htm
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/9155.php
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/insomnia
For more information on sleep apnea, a cause of insomnia, please see: www.cpapoffice.com