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Insomnia- What is it?
Insomnia- What is it?
Author:
Edward F. Group
III,
D.C.,
Ph.D, N.D.,CCN
Sleep disorders come in one of three different types: dissomnias
(insomnia), hypersomnia (disorders of excessive sleepiness) and
parasomnias (abnormal behaviors during sleep).
Examples of sleep disorders are insomnia, early
awakening, advanced sleep phase syndrome, sleep apnea and narcolepsy.
Some of these can have serious health effects if not treated properly.
Insomnia is the most common of all sleep complaints. Almost everyone has
occasional sleepless nights, perhaps due to stress, heartburn or
drinking too much caffeine or alcohol. Insomnia is a lack of sleep that
occurs on a regular or frequent basis, often for no apparent reason.
How
much sleep is enough varies. Although 7 1/2 hours of sleep is about
average, some people do fine on 4 or 5 hours of sleep. Other people need
9 or 10 hours a night.
Inability to get a good night's sleep can affect not only your energy
level and mood but your health as well because sleep helps bolster your
immune system. Fatigue, at any age, leads to diminished mental alertness
and concentration. Lack of sleep is linked to accidents both on the road
and on the job.
About one out of three people have insomnia sometime in their life.
Sleeplessness may be temporary or chronic. You don't necessarily have to
live with sleepless nights. Some simple changes in your daily routine
and habits may result in better sleep.
Symptoms of insomnia may include:
-
Inability to sleep enough at night
-
Difficulty falling asleep at night
-
Waking up during the night
-
Waking up too early
-
Awakening not restored, even after a full night's sleep
-
Daytime
fatigue or sleepiness
-
Daytime irritability
Common causes of insomnia include:
-
Stress.
Concerns about work, school, health or family keep your mind too active
and unable to relax for sleep. Excessive boredom, such as after
retirement or during a long illness, also can create stress and keep you
awake.
-
Anxiety.
Everyday anxieties as well as severe anxiety disorders may keep your
mind too alert to fall asleep.
-
Depression.
You may either sleep too much or have trouble sleeping if you're
depressed. This may be due to chemical imbalances in your brain or
because worries that accompany depression may keep you from relaxing
enough to fall asleep when you want to.
-
Stimulants.
Prescription drugs, including some antidepressant, high blood pressure
and steroid medications, can interfere with sleep. Many over-the-counter
(OTC) medications, including some pain medication combinations,
decongestants and weight-loss products, contain caffeine and other
stimulants. Antihistamines may initially make you groggy, but they can
worsen urinary problems, causing you to get up more during the night.
-
Change in your environment or work schedule.
Travel or working a late or early shift can disrupt your body's
circadian rhythms, making you unable to get to sleep when you want to.
-
Long-term use of sleep medications.
Doctors generally recommend using sleeping pills for only up to 4 weeks,
or until you notice benefits from self-help measures. If you need sleep
medications for longer, take them no more than two to four times a week,
so they don't become habit-forming.
-
Medical conditions that cause pain.
These include arthritis, Fibromyalgia
and neuropathies, among other
conditions. Making sure that your medical conditions are well treated
may help with your insomnia.
-
Behavioral insomnia.
This may occur when you worry excessively about not being able to sleep
well and try too hard to fall asleep. Most people with this condition
sleep better when they're away from their usual sleep environment or
when they don't try to sleep, such as when they're watching TV or
reading.
-
Eating too much too late in the evening.
Having a light snack before bedtime is OK, but eating too much may cause
you to feel physically uncomfortable while lying down, making it
difficult to get to sleep. Many people also experience heartburn, a
backflow of food from the stomach to the esophagus after eating. This
uncomfortable feeling may keep you awake.
-
Inherited condition.
Some people have inherited poor sleep tendency. If that's your case, be
extremely careful not to overexcite yourself, especially in the evening.
Insomnia becomes more prevalent with age. As you get older, three
changes often occur that may affect your sleep. You may experience:
-
A
change in sleep patterns.
After age 50, sleep often becomes less restful. Because you’re sleeping
lighter, you're also more likely to wake up. With age, your internal
clock often speeds up. You get tired earlier in the evening and
consequently wake up earlier in the morning.
-
A
change in activity.
You may be less physically or socially active. Activity helps promote a
good night's sleep. You may also have more free time and, because of
that, drink more caffeine or alcohol or take a daily nap. These things
can also interfere with sleep at night.
-
A
change in health.
The chronic pain of conditions such as arthritis or back problems as
well as depression, anxiety and stress can interfere with sleep. Older
men often develop noncancerous enlargement of the prostate gland (benign
prostatic hyperplasia), which can cause the need to urinate frequently,
interrupting sleep. In women, hot flashes that accompany menopause can
be equally disruptive. Other sleep-related disorders, such as sleep
apnea and restless legs syndrome, also become more common with age.
Sleep apnea causes you to stop breathing periodically throughout the
night and then awaken.
To
learn of effective ways to treat this condition continue reading onward.
Related Site:
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Disclaimer
This information is
provided for general medical education purposes only and
is not meant to substitute for the independent medical
judgment of a physician relative to diagnostic and
treatment options of a specific patient's medical
condition.
In no event will The DrEddyClinic.com be liable for any
decision made or action taken in reliance upon the
information provided through this web site.
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