What Is Insomnia?
Insomnia is a most common sleep disorder which is the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep at night, resulting in unrefreshing or non-restorative sleep. There is no set number of hours of sleep that qualifies someone as having insomnia or not but generally, adults are recommended 7 hours of sleep each night. Insomnia means you regularly have sleeping problems. Short-term insomnia or acute insomnia lasts from 1 night to a few weeks. Insomnia is chronic when it happens at least 3 nights a week for 3 months or more, women are more affected than men.
How much sleep do you need?
Every individual needs different amounts of sleep Average sleep:
- Infants and babies need 12 to 17 hours
- Children need 9 to 13 hours
- Adults need 7 to 9 hours
Sometimes, You probably do not get enough sleep if you are constantly tired during the day.
Symptoms of Insomnia :
- Find it hard to go to sleep or wake up in the middle of the night
- Difficulty to returning sleep
- You wake up early in the morning and cannot back go to sleep
- Feeling tired/fatigued during the daytime
- Irritability, depressed mood or Anxiety
- Increased error or accidents
- Problem or difficulty with concentration and memory
- Concerns or frustration about your sleep
Types of Insomnia :
Insomnia classified by duration:
Transient insomnia – Less than one month
Short-term insomnia – Between one to six months
Chronic insomnia – More than six months
Causes of Insomnia
- Mental health disorder such as stress, anxiety,depression or other mental health problems
- Eating too much late in the evening
- Irregular sleep schedules
- Age
- Pregnancy
- Uncomfortable beds
- Use of alcohol, nicotine or caffeine
Complication of Insomnia
- Diabetes
- Mood disorders such as anxiety disorders, depression or substance use
- Lower performance on the workplace or at school
- Increased risk and severity of long-term diseases, such as high blood pressure (hypertension) and heart disease
- Driving accidents, injuries and falls
- Weight gain or obesity
Is insomnia common?
Insomnia is also known as Sleep disorders and they are very common. It affects up to 70 million Americans every year.
Insomnia symptoms happen in approximately 33% to 50% of the adult population while Chronic Insomnia disorder that is associated with distress or impairment is estimated at 10% to 15%.
Treatment of Insomnia
CBT (Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia: CBT helps you identify and replace thoughts and behaviors that cause or worsen sleep problems with habits that promote sound sleep. It helps to reduce stress and anxiety. Sometimes CBT is called CBT-I. This is an effective treatment for chronic sleep problems and is usually recommended for the first line of treatment.
Medications: Sedative-hypnotic drugs, sedating antidepressants, antihistamines, Benzodiazepine and other drugs can be prescribed by a physician.
Prevention
- Avoid heavy meals, beverages, alcohol and caffeine before bedtime
- Take healthy diet and do exercise daily
- Avoid or limit naps
- Make your bedroom comfortable for sleep and avoid using mobile or TV
- Stay active and do exercise— regular activity helps promote a good night’s sleep
- Taking a warm bath before bedtime
- Reading or listening light music
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