Do you have difficulty falling or staying asleep? How many times during the night do you move and turn, check the
clock, and find it ticking away and tell yourself, if I could fall asleep right
now I would get at least six hours of sleep? But, sleep doesn't come so you
continue to move and turn. This happens to several people that might suffer
from a syndrome known as insomnia. People who suffer from this complaint may have
many illnesses, and many have similar symptoms. Symptoms can vary from tension
to pain to always feeling fatigued. Insomnia is a very complex disease to have
to live with. It is harsh for both those that suffer from it and their family
members. (What
is Insomnia? What Causes Insomnia?. (n.d.). Medical News Today: Health News.)
Insomnia, which is Latin for
"no sleep," is a common
sleep disorder that affects millions of people everywhere around the globe by not
allowing them to sleep. Its severity can vary from a couple of days to a couple
of months, and is treatable in most cases. Each year, about one-third of all grown-ups
suffer from insomnia. Insomnia itself is not a disease; insomnia is a symptom
of a weak mental or physical condition of the person. There is not an accurate definition
for insomnia, but it could be said to be a person being not able to sleep,
having trouble falling sleep, or having a struggle staying asleep. (Type:.
(n.d.). Insomnia (Poor Sleep) | Health | Patient.co.uk. Health Information and
Advice | Medicines Guide | Patient.co.uk)
Insomnia comes in many forms which worry
people of all ages, most commonly for just a night or two, but sometimes for
weeks, months, and even years. Insomnia has many causes. Insomnia is a symptom,
much like fever or stomachache. There are three symptoms commonly known to
people of insomnia, difficulty falling asleep, falling asleep but difficulty
staying asleep with many awakenings, and waking up too early. Difficulty
sleeping at night may be related with the sleepiness, anxiety, loss of memory, low
concentration, and bad temper; these symptoms may occur during daytime. (Insomnia
(Chronic and Acute Insomnia) Causes and Symptoms. (n.d.). WebMD - Better
information. Better health.)
Insomnia has three classifications,
transient, acute, and chronic. Transient insomnia continues for less than a
weak. It could be caused by a disorder, change in sleep environment, or stress
and depression. Acute insomnia is a
disorder when you don’t have the ability to consistently sleep well for a
period of time less than a month. Insomnia occurs when there is difficulty
getting enough sleep or having a poor quality, non-refreshing sleep. One of the
symptoms that may occur is laziness which might occur during daytime. Acute insomnia
is also known as stress-related insomnia. Chronic insomnia lasts for more than
a month. People suffering from this insomnia will feel muscular fatigue or
mental fatigue and hallucinations; they will see things in slow motion and
moving things will seem to blend together and this might cause double
vision. Chronic insomnia might lead to
depression. An estimated thirty million
people suffer from chronic insomnia. (Insomnia: Complications -
MayoClinic.com. (n.d.). Mayo Clinic)
Common causes of insomnia are
stress, anxiety, depression, medications containing caffeine, eating too much
in late evenings. Concerns about life and school work can make your mind active
at night, keeping you from sleeping. Stressful events are one of the
causes. Everyday anxiety and nervousness
is a cause too. When depressed you might either sleep too much or have trouble
sleeping. This is due to a chemical imbalance in your brain that will keep you
from relaxing to fall asleep. Many medication drugs may interfere with your
sleep because it might have caffeine. Eating too much before bed time is not proper;
it is a bad idea. If you eat too much before sleeping you will feel physically
uncomfortable and this uncomfortable feeling will keep you awake. (Insomnia:
Causes - MayoClinic.com. (n.d.). Mayo Clinic)
Sleep has an equal importance to
your health as healthy diet and exercising. People suffering from insomnia have
lower quality of life compared to those who sleep well. Complications of
insomnia may include lower performance on the job, psychiatric issues, poor
immune system function, obesity and high risks of having long-term diseases
such as diabetes and heart disease.
No matter what’s causing your sleep
problems, it’s important to make and have healthy sleep habits. Untreated insomnia is related to increased
illness. There is research demonstrating that people with insomnia have poorer
health, suffer depression and have more work absence. There are many approaches
to treat insomnia. Relaxation techniques such as yoga maybe helpful to the body
which could prepare it to sleep. Exercise in the early morning can be helpful
in reducing stress and increasing joy. (Can’t Sleep? Causes, Cures, and Treatments for Insomnia. (n.d.). Helpguide
helps you help yourself and others.)
Here are some tips to maintain a
healthy sleep and sleep well. Establish a regular bedtime routine and a
sleep-wake schedule. Do not eat too much at bedtime. Create a calm dark cool
comfortable sleep environment. Consume less caffeine during daytime. Finally
avoid late naps during the evening. (Insomnia: Treatments and drugs -
MayoClinic.com)
980 Words
References:
What
is Insomnia? What Causes Insomnia?. (n.d.). Medical News Today: Health News.
Retrieved June 3, 2013
Type:.
(n.d.). Insomnia (Poor Sleep) | Health | Patient.co.uk. Health Information
and Advice | Medicines Guide | Patient.co.uk. Retrieved June 3, 2013
Insomnia (Chronic and Acute
Insomnia) Causes and Symptoms. (n.d.). WebMD - Better information. Better
health.. Retrieved June 3, 2013
Insomnia:
Complications - MayoClinic.com. (n.d.). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved June 3,
2013
Insomnia: Causes - MayoClinic.com.
(n.d.). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved June 3, 2013
Can’t Sleep? Causes, Cures, and Treatments for
Insomnia. (n.d.). Helpguide helps you help yourself and others.
Retrieved June 3, 2013
Insomnia:
Treatments and drugs - MayoClinic.com. (n.d.). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved
June 3, 2013
