Insomnia
Insomnia is the inability to sleep at night.
Insomnia can be categorized further as acute or chronic. Acute insomnia is self-limiting, meaning it runs its course in a few weeks or months and ends without being treated. Chronic insomnia lasts longer than three months and often needs to be treated. Insomnia can be caused by medical problems, such as chronic pain syndromes; psychiatric problems, such as depression; or primary sleep problems, such as periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD).
Insomnia 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 caused by insomnia is linked to accidents both on the road and on the job. Insomnia can have serious repercussions, including:
- Making us feel crappy and listless
- Making us moody
- Lowering our thinking speed and productivity
- Weakening the immune system, making us more susceptible to viruses
- Being a major factor in 200,000 auto accidents every year
- Costing the economy billions for work place absenteeism
- Playing a role in industrial disasters such as Exxon Valdez and the Three Mile Island nuclear plant accident
Signs and symptoms
Signs and symptoms of insomnia may include:
- Inability to get enough sleep at night
- Difficulty falling asleep at night
- Waking up during the night
- Waking up too early
- Waking up feeling tired, even after a full night's sleep
- Daytime fatigue or sleepiness
- Daytime irritability
Causes
1. Psychological: emotional disturbances, anxiety.
2. Psychiatric disorders and old age.
3. Drugs and alcohol: Use of stimulant drugs like amphetamine (speed) or chronic alcoholism.
4. Respiratory disorders: Sleep apnea syndrome (where breathing stops for a few seconds), hypoventilation (decreased breathing).
5. Debilitating painful illness, heart diseases, asthma.
Management
1. Underlying cause to be treated e.g. psychiatric causes with counseling, psychotherapy~ and medication. '
2. Sedative-hypnotic drugs e.g. Barbiturates, Benzodiazepines etc.
3. For chronic insomnia drugs are not appropriate. Instead education of the patient about keeping regular hours, exercise and avoidance of heavy meals, alcohol, caffeine contain- i ing drinks during the evening should be stressed.
Insomnia Treatment
Insomnia is a symptom not a diagnosis. As such, your treatment will be personal and will be focused on your underlying condition. Your treatment may include one or more of the following therapies:
- Improving sleep habits
- Correcting sleep misconceptions
- Controlling your sleep environment
- Behavior management
- Light therapy
- Medications
You can do several things to prepare yourself for sleep.
- Exercise regularly.
- Avoid large meals and excessive fluids before bedtime.
- Control your environment.
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