Insomnia
What you need to know
What is Insomnia?
Insomnia is a sleep disorder that makes it difficult to fall asleep and/or stay asleep even if you have an opportunity to get a good nights sleep. With insomnia you with wake feeling unrefreshed which will affects how you function throughout the day. Insomnia Can affect your mood, work performance, and energy level as well as your quality of life. This disorder can also be a cause of obesity, anxiety, depression, poor immune system function, irritability, and a slow reaction time.
There are two types of insomnia, primary insomnia and secondary insomnia. Primary insomnia means that the person is having sleep issues not associated with any other health condition. Secondary insomnia is when the person is having sleep issues because of something else such as conditions or problems including asthma, depression, arthritis, medicine they are taking, or cancer.
Insomnia also varies is how long it lasts. Acute insomnia is short-term and chronic insomnia lasts for a very long time.
Symptoms may include
Waking up during the night, difficultly falling asleep at night, daytime tiredness, Irritability, depression or anxiety, diffculty paying attention, increased errors, headaches, and constantly worrying about sleep.
Prevalence
Insomnia can affect anyone of any age, although it is more common in adult females than adult males.
It is said that more than 30% of Americans suffer from or have suffered from insomnia.
Diagnosis
There is no real test for insomnia so doctors may use multiple different tools to diagnose insomnia such as sleep logs, questionnaire, blood tests, or even do an overnight sleep study.
Treatment
One way to treat insomnia is by changing your lifestyle. If you have insomnia you should avoid things that can make it worse such as caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol. You should also avoid certain over-the-counter and prescription medications that disrupt sleep. Other things that you can do include getting regular exercise, eating meals at regular times, avoid using your bed for anything other than sleep, and have a regular routine in the evening that relaxes you such as taking a bath or reading a book. Another way to treat insomnia is behavior therapies. These teach you new sleep behaviors and ways to improve the environment you sleep in. A few behavior therapies include cognitive behavioral therapy, relaxation techniques, and light therapy. Other forms of treatment would be taking prescription or over-the-counter medications.
Interesting facts about insomnia
- Pets and insects can also suffer from insomnia
- Insomnia is commonly a symptom of some other health condition
- Nearly 80% of people who are completely blind experience insomnia