Insomnia is one problem that has lasted for as long as its victims have existed.
Different definitions have come up to explain what this villain really means but a good one will be that "it is an inability to fall asleep, stay asleep, or put the mind to rest even in the midst of opportunity".
Have you ever returned from work or a meeting, took supper, then went to bed to catch some sleep before your 6a.
m appointment the next day only for you to keep turning on your bed wandering if sleep went on a sabbatical leave? You wake up, or rather get up the next morning and are not able to perform efficiently at work because of course you did not get a good night rest.
Types of Insomnia Though there are several degrees of insomnia have been described, Transient insomnia lasts from days to weeks.
It can be caused by another disorder, by changes in the sleep environment, by the timing of sleep, severe depression, or by stress.
Its consequences - sleepiness and impaired psychomotor performance - are similar to those of sleep deprivation.
Acute insomnia is the inability to consistently sleep well for a period of between three weeks to six months.
Chronic insomnia lasts for years at a time.
It can be caused by another disorder, or it can be a primary disorder.
Its effects can vary according to its causes.
They might include sleepiness, muscular fatigue, hallucinations, and/or mental fatigue; but people with chronic insomnia often show increased alertness.
Some people that live with this disorder see things as though they were happening in slow motion, whereas moving objects seem to blend together.
Can cause double vision.
Insomnia may occur in different patterns.
One may find it difficult to fall asleep at the beginning of the night (Onset Insomnia), or one may find it difficult to return to bed after waking up in the middle if the night or very early in the morning (Middle-of-the-night Insomnia).
One may also find it difficult to maintain sleep at the early hours of the morning or in the middle of the night, sometimes this is associated with pain disorders or medical illness.
Causes of insomnia Insomnia has a considerable number of causes.
The very important ones are listed below.
The use of psychoactive drugs or stimulants e.
g.
cocaine, caffeine, ephedrine, amphetamines etc can give rise to insomnia.
Hormone shifts such as those that precede menstruation and those during menopause.
Issues of life such as fear, stress, anxiety, job problems, unsatisfactory sex life, financial stress, and emotional tension among others.
Mental disorders such as clinical depression, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Schizophrenia, etc.
Shift work and jet lag, can cause an inability to sleep at some times of the day and excessive sleepiness at other times of the day.
Jet lag is seen in people who travel through multiple time zones, as the time relative to the rising and setting of the sun no longer coincides with the body's internal concept of it.
Certain neurological disorders, brain lesions, or a history of traumatic brain injury can also cause insomnia.
Abuse of over-the counter or prescription sleep aids can produce rebound insomnia.
Do I need to mention that noise and some other poor sleep hygiene can cause insomnia? Some people are gifted though to be able to sleep on a stake under water.
It is not uncommon to have middle of the night awakenings due to alcohol consumption.
Nightmares also are convicted, as well as those parasites hold WrestleMania matches in your intestine.
Treatment of insomnia So much for the causes, now let's talk about treatment.
In many cases, insomnia is caused by another disease, side effects from medications or a psychological problem.
It is important to identify or rule out medical and psychological before deciding on the treatment for the insomnia.
Attention to sleep hygiene is an important first line treatment strategy and should be tried before any pharmacological approach is considered.
Non-drug methods are usually superior to the drug treatments because with time you begin to depend on the drugs to go to bed, hence, no drug, no sleep.
Sounds familiar? Now I'm sure you don't want to be a sedative drug addict.
I am not ruling out the importance of using drugs but when drugs should be administered even on prescription, they should be used on a short term basis.
When you have insomnia; before you rush to the mercy of sedative drugs that bore your system to a false sleep, use the non-dug mechanism as your first line of action.
These methods include: sleep hygiene, behavioural interventions, stimulus control, relaxation therapy etc.
A recent study found that cognitive behavior therapy is more effective than hypnotic medications in controlling insomnia.
In this therapy, patients are taught improved sleep habits and relieved of counter-productive assumptions about sleep.
The effects of cognitive behavior therapy have sustained and lasting effects on treating insomnia long after therapy has been discontinued; so much unlike the hypnotic medications.
Chronic users of hypnotic medications for insomnia do not have better sleep than chronic insomniacs who do not take medications.
In fact, chronic users of hypnotic medications actually have more regular night-time awakenings than insomniacs who do not take hypnotic medications.
Thus short term or occasional use of hypnotics can be beneficial but long term use may be detrimental to sleep.
Some insomniacs use herbs such as valerian, chamomile, lavender, hops, and passion-flower.
Valerian has undergone multiple studies and appears to be modestly effective.
Some traditional and anecdotal remedies for insomnia include: drinking warm milk before bedtime, taking a warm bath, exercising vigorously for half an hour in the afternoon, eating a large lunch and then having only a light evening meal at least three hours before bed, avoiding mentally stimulating activities in the evening hours, going to bed at a reasonable hour and getting up early, and avoiding exposing the eyes to too much light, especially blue light, a few hours before bedtime.
Some people believe that meditation, or listening to slow paced music can help send the sleep coming.
Some people also believe that saying a word of prayer about sleep.
The mindset and your ability to manipulate it may also contribute immensely to the treatment or management of insomnia.
Different definitions have come up to explain what this villain really means but a good one will be that "it is an inability to fall asleep, stay asleep, or put the mind to rest even in the midst of opportunity".
Have you ever returned from work or a meeting, took supper, then went to bed to catch some sleep before your 6a.
m appointment the next day only for you to keep turning on your bed wandering if sleep went on a sabbatical leave? You wake up, or rather get up the next morning and are not able to perform efficiently at work because of course you did not get a good night rest.
Types of Insomnia Though there are several degrees of insomnia have been described, Transient insomnia lasts from days to weeks.
It can be caused by another disorder, by changes in the sleep environment, by the timing of sleep, severe depression, or by stress.
Its consequences - sleepiness and impaired psychomotor performance - are similar to those of sleep deprivation.
Acute insomnia is the inability to consistently sleep well for a period of between three weeks to six months.
Chronic insomnia lasts for years at a time.
It can be caused by another disorder, or it can be a primary disorder.
Its effects can vary according to its causes.
They might include sleepiness, muscular fatigue, hallucinations, and/or mental fatigue; but people with chronic insomnia often show increased alertness.
Some people that live with this disorder see things as though they were happening in slow motion, whereas moving objects seem to blend together.
Can cause double vision.
Insomnia may occur in different patterns.
One may find it difficult to fall asleep at the beginning of the night (Onset Insomnia), or one may find it difficult to return to bed after waking up in the middle if the night or very early in the morning (Middle-of-the-night Insomnia).
One may also find it difficult to maintain sleep at the early hours of the morning or in the middle of the night, sometimes this is associated with pain disorders or medical illness.
Causes of insomnia Insomnia has a considerable number of causes.
The very important ones are listed below.
The use of psychoactive drugs or stimulants e.
g.
cocaine, caffeine, ephedrine, amphetamines etc can give rise to insomnia.
Hormone shifts such as those that precede menstruation and those during menopause.
Issues of life such as fear, stress, anxiety, job problems, unsatisfactory sex life, financial stress, and emotional tension among others.
Mental disorders such as clinical depression, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Schizophrenia, etc.
Shift work and jet lag, can cause an inability to sleep at some times of the day and excessive sleepiness at other times of the day.
Jet lag is seen in people who travel through multiple time zones, as the time relative to the rising and setting of the sun no longer coincides with the body's internal concept of it.
Certain neurological disorders, brain lesions, or a history of traumatic brain injury can also cause insomnia.
Abuse of over-the counter or prescription sleep aids can produce rebound insomnia.
Do I need to mention that noise and some other poor sleep hygiene can cause insomnia? Some people are gifted though to be able to sleep on a stake under water.
It is not uncommon to have middle of the night awakenings due to alcohol consumption.
Nightmares also are convicted, as well as those parasites hold WrestleMania matches in your intestine.
Treatment of insomnia So much for the causes, now let's talk about treatment.
In many cases, insomnia is caused by another disease, side effects from medications or a psychological problem.
It is important to identify or rule out medical and psychological before deciding on the treatment for the insomnia.
Attention to sleep hygiene is an important first line treatment strategy and should be tried before any pharmacological approach is considered.
Non-drug methods are usually superior to the drug treatments because with time you begin to depend on the drugs to go to bed, hence, no drug, no sleep.
Sounds familiar? Now I'm sure you don't want to be a sedative drug addict.
I am not ruling out the importance of using drugs but when drugs should be administered even on prescription, they should be used on a short term basis.
When you have insomnia; before you rush to the mercy of sedative drugs that bore your system to a false sleep, use the non-dug mechanism as your first line of action.
These methods include: sleep hygiene, behavioural interventions, stimulus control, relaxation therapy etc.
A recent study found that cognitive behavior therapy is more effective than hypnotic medications in controlling insomnia.
In this therapy, patients are taught improved sleep habits and relieved of counter-productive assumptions about sleep.
The effects of cognitive behavior therapy have sustained and lasting effects on treating insomnia long after therapy has been discontinued; so much unlike the hypnotic medications.
Chronic users of hypnotic medications for insomnia do not have better sleep than chronic insomniacs who do not take medications.
In fact, chronic users of hypnotic medications actually have more regular night-time awakenings than insomniacs who do not take hypnotic medications.
Thus short term or occasional use of hypnotics can be beneficial but long term use may be detrimental to sleep.
Some insomniacs use herbs such as valerian, chamomile, lavender, hops, and passion-flower.
Valerian has undergone multiple studies and appears to be modestly effective.
Some traditional and anecdotal remedies for insomnia include: drinking warm milk before bedtime, taking a warm bath, exercising vigorously for half an hour in the afternoon, eating a large lunch and then having only a light evening meal at least three hours before bed, avoiding mentally stimulating activities in the evening hours, going to bed at a reasonable hour and getting up early, and avoiding exposing the eyes to too much light, especially blue light, a few hours before bedtime.
Some people believe that meditation, or listening to slow paced music can help send the sleep coming.
Some people also believe that saying a word of prayer about sleep.
The mindset and your ability to manipulate it may also contribute immensely to the treatment or management of insomnia.
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