There are 2 variations of insomnia. Acute insomnia is relatively short-term, and usually lasts a few days or even weeks. It is brief and caused by life circumstances such as work stress, pressure, or even trauma. This type of insomnia usually does not require treatment and resolves on its own. Chronic insomnia is a prolonged version where a person experiences more than 3 nights of disrupted sleep for a period longer than 3 months. It may be caused by shift work, unhealthy sleep habits, clinical disorders, or certain medications.
Pretty much everyone has had a couple of sleepless nights in their lives, and it would be normal to ask such a question. The duration of insomnia is an important factor for doctors to determine whether it is chronic (at least 3 times a week).
Anyone with insomnia would experience any of the following symptoms:
- Difficulty falling asleep (lying in bed for over an hour, tossing and turning repeatedly)
- Waking up during sleep and being unable to get back to sleep
- Feeling irritable when you wake up
- Not feeling refreshed
- Behavioural problems
- Fatigued
- Relying on sleeping pills or alcohol to fall asleep
In order to properly treat your insomnia, you need to identify the root cause of it. Most insomnia cases are caused by stress and depression. But your daily activities and lifestyle can be a cause as well. Once the root of the problem is recognized, correct treatment can be administered properly.
To find out the root of your insomnia, you can start by asking yourself the following question:
- Are you feeling stressed?
- Are you feeling depressed or emotional?
- Do you have anxiety?
- Are you taking medication that could affect your sleep?
- Do you have any health issues that could be a contributing factor?
- Do you sleep in a comfortable environment?
- Are you always active during the night?
- Do you maintain a regular sleep pattern?
Experiencing acute insomnia is actually quite normal, and isn't something to be worried about since it is temporal. Acute insomnia can be caused by stress from upcoming deadlines, a painful breakup, jet lag, or any sort of unfavourable occurrence in your life.
Chronic insomnia is stubbornly persistent and can be caused by psychological problems such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and chronic stress. It can be caused by anti-depressants, pain relievers, high blood pressure medications and thyroid hormone. Medical issues play a part in chronic insomnia as well (e.g. asthma, cancer, kidney disease and hyperthyroidism). Of course, sleep disorders are a cause too. This includes sleep apnea and narcolepsy.
Insomnia can be worsened from bad habits that double as short-term solutions; this includes excessive alcohol consumption to become drowsy and sleepy, eating sleeping pills, or drinking coffee throughout the day to keep awake after a long sleepless night.
All of these practices can disrupt your sleep even more in the long run, and your insomnia would not be cured. Correcting these habits and replacing them with healthier choices is usually effective enough to overcome insomnia altogether.
Here is a list of good sleeping habits that you should practice:
- Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, and cool. Any sort of potential threat towards your sleep should be prevented at all costs. Minimal chance of your sleep being disrupted is ALWAYS optimal.
- Sleep regular hours. Maintaining a standard sleep rhythm, whether or not you feel tired, is essential in tuning your body back into normal hours. Of course, this requires a certain level of discipline.
- Don't take naps. Naps make it harder for you to fall asleep at night since your body is moderately rested. If you really have to, take a quick 30 minute power nap at max.
- Avoid strenuous activities before bedtime. This means no vigorous exercises. You don't want your blood to be pumping right before you sleep.
- Don't use any light-emitting electronic devices. That's right; you cannot play computer games or watch TV right before you sleep since it stimulates your brain. You can replace your "pre-bedtime" practices with more soothing activities such as listening to calm music or reading a good book.
- Insomniacs suffer from sleep worries that amplify the inability to fall asleep, making them associate the bedroom with sleeplessness. The objective here is to associate the bedroom with nothing else but sleep. And maybe sex, but that's about it.
Personally, relaxation techniques worked absolute wonders on nights when I thought I was doomed to not be able to sleep. Techniques such as abdominal breathing take time to master, but the rewards are spectacular. Most of us don't breathe as deeply as we're supposed to when we sleep. Slow, deep breaths help to relax the body as a whole.
In the rare event where following the tips listed religiously did not work out well for you, perhaps you may be have to rely on supplements and medication. Before taking any sort of sleep aid, medication or supplement, be sure to consult your doctor or pharmacist first.
The two most popular supplements for insomnia are Melatonin (can potentially lead to negative side effects such as next-day drowsiness) and Valerian.
Over the counter (OTC) sleeping aids are meant to be used for short-term insomnia only. Sleep experts, however, strongly advise against consuming these sleeping aids because of side effects, their questionable effectiveness, and their safety in the long run.
Prescription sleeping pills can provide temporary relief, and it's recommended to only use them as a last resort if they should be recommended at all. Once again, for any kind of prescription, do consult your doctor or pharmacist. It is known that lifestyle and behavioral changes make the biggest and most lasting impact when it comes to insomnia, not prescription sleeping pills.
Source: http://www.insomnian.com