Insomnia is a sleep disorder that is seen in millions of people worldwide. People with insomnia find it difficult to sleep or fall asleep. Many health experts suggest that adults require a minimum of at least 7-9 hours of sleep, depending on their age (1).
According to a few research data, 25% of people in the United States experience insomnia every year; most of the time, it is a short-term problem (2). Insomnia, either long-term or short-term, both have an effect on your daily life.
This article helps to understand insomnia, its causes, symptoms and also discuss ways to prevent it.
What is Insomnia?
If a person is experiencing difficulty in falling asleep or staying asleep is referred to as insomnia. A person with insomnia wakes up consistently, finds it difficult to sleep or stay asleep. Insomnia can cause problems such as lethargy, fatigue, irritability, and mood swings.
Insomnia, if not treated, can further lead to several chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and depression. Lack of sleep may influence your lifestyle, work performance and limit your daily activities.
Types of Insomnia
Insomnia is generally classified into an acute form which is a short-term and chronic form that is a long-term problem. Insomnia may or may not have an underlying medical problem.
Insomnia can be divided based on the severity of the disease, as;
- Mild insomnia- caused due to work pressure, tiredness, etc
- Moderate insomnia- caused due to consistent work pressure, finance, or relationship problems
- Severe insomnia- caused due to several underlying health complications such as chronic pain, health problems, diabetes, etc
What Causes Insomnia?
Insomnia can be due to various physical and psychological factors. Most often the cause is temporary stress. It is a primary problem and may be associated with several health disorders. Chronic insomnia is usually due to stress, lifestyle such as abrupt sleep, alcohol, watching tv, and late-night sleeping patterns. The most common causes of chronic insomnia are;
1. Stress
Stress is the major cause of insomnia. Concerns about relationships, work, health, finances can keep your mind stressful which makes it difficult to sleep. Stressful life events or trauma such as divorce, job loss, death, or illness of a loved one may cause insomnia.
2. Poor Sleep Habits
Poor sleep habits such as irregular bedtime schedule, afternoon naps, lethargy life, watching tv or screen during nighttime, video games, phone usages, night cravings may disturb your sleep cycle.
3. Lifestyle and work schedule
Poor lifestyle habits such as alcohol, eating too much in the late evening, drinking alcohol, late-night parties, reduced physical activities, heartburn due to which some people stay awake. It’s important to maintain your circadian rhythms which maintain your sleep-wake cycle, metabolism, and body temperature. Disturbing your body’s circadian rhythms can cause insomnia.
4. Medications and medical conditions
Medical conditions such as anxiety disorders, asthma, chronic pain, diabetes, heart diseases, gastroesophageal reflux diseases, thyroid, and Alzheimer’s diseases may cause disturbed sleep which can lead to insomnia. Certain medications can interfere with sleep, such as antidepressants, pain medications, allergies, and other stimulants.
Chronic insomnia is further associated with several other medical conditions. Treating these underlying medical conditions may help improve sleep, but it can not cure insomnia.
Symptoms of Insomnia
Various symptoms associated with acute insomnia and chronic insomnia are;
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Low energy
- Poor concentration
- Daytime sleepiness
- Various gastrointestinal issues
- Headaches
- Lack of coordination
- Difficult to socialize, concentrate or study (3)
The Risk Associated With Insomnia
Insomnia is commonly observed more in women than in men. Most of the older age group people are at high risk. Major risk factors include;
- Long-term illness
- Mental illness issues
- Change in the biological leads such as genetic, hormonal, etc
Insomnia Diagnosis
Currently, there is no specific test to diagnose insomnia. Your doctor may perform a physical exam, counsel you to understand more about your sleep pattern, problems, and symptoms. Your medical history will be evaluated, and medications you are taking which might be affecting your sleep pattern.
Your physician may also ask for;
A blood test to check certain medical conditions such as thyroid problems, heart problems, diabetes, and PCOD.
Your doctor may suggest some lifestyle changes such as less screen time, darkroom, more physical activities. They will also suggest you write down your sleep pattern.
Generally, mild insomnia does not require medications. Chronic insomnia is treated with some options which include counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy, and over-the-counter sleep aids.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)
CBT-I aims to build a connection between the way we think, we do, and how we sleep. During the treatment, your trainer will focus to identify which provider helps to identify thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that are contributing to the symptoms of insomnia.
Your trainer suggests and clarifies and reframes misconceptions and challenges in a way to get a conductive sleep. Generally, this treatment takes around 6-8 sessions depending on the severity of your insomnia (4) (5).
This is often known as multicomponent treatment because it combines several different approaches namely cognitive, behavioral, and educational;
- Cognitive interventions: This helps to change inaccurate or unhelpful thoughts about sleep.
- Behavioral interventions: In this, they will train you to relax, sleep restrictions, help to establish healthy sleep habits.
- Psychoeducational interventions: In this, they will provide information about the connection between thoughts, feelings, sleep, and behavior.
Your trainer will treat you based on your requirement and treatment and it varies from person to person.
Medications
Lifestyle changes and behavioral changes are the best way to improve your sleepover long term. When you are suffering from severity then your doctor may provide some sleeping pills for a short time. Doctors do not suggest sleeping pills for a long time.
Melatonin to treat insomnia
Melatonin is a hormone that our body produces, which promotes sleep. Some people consider melatonin supplements as a sleeping aid, but there is not enough scientific evidence to prove their advantages. Supplements are not considered as medications, hence, talk to your healthcare provider before taking one.
Tips to Control Insomnia
Lifestyle changes such as your sleep time, bedtime routine, and bedroom setup can help you sleep better:
- Eat small meals, avoid caffeine and alcohol before bed
- Do a lot of physical activities which makes you feel tired
- Try to cut caffeine as much as possible in your diet
- Switch off your phone before going to bed
- Quit smoking
- Keep your room dark
- Read good books before bed
- Listen to light music
- Do meditation every day
- Switch off the light and keep your room dark
Final Words
If your insomnia is getting worse affecting your quality of life, try lifestyle changes as mentioned above. Also, consult your doctor and get yourself treated. The above-mentioned tips can help you ease the symptoms. However, there are various reasons for insomnia and the treatment completely differs from person to person.