What You Need To
Know
Insomnia is a very common sleep
disorder that keeps you awake night after night and can lead to
sleep deprivation.
INSOMNIA
SYMPTOMS
~Difficulty getting to sleep and staying asleep.
This condition continues night after night for a month or
more.
~Waking up tired. People with insomnia often feel
like they haven't slept at all.
~Morning headaches. This is often called the
hangover effect, when, in fact, the person did no drinking the
night before.
~Difficulty concentrating.
~Irritability.
~Bloodshot eyes.
~Daytime sleepiness.
CAUSES
(Remember, insomnia is often not
a disease in itself but a symptom of some underlying disease or
problem.)
Stress or anxiety. Lying awake worrying about your
problems.
Depression. Depression either causes insomnia or
causes a need to sleep long hours in an attempt to get away from
what is causing the depression.Also, while depression can cause
insomnia, the reverse is also true. Insomnia can cause
depression.
Chronic disorders. Sleep disorders, like sleep
apnea, and diabetes, kidney disease, arthritis
Medications. Medications for other problems can
cause insomnia
Caffeine, nicotine and alcohol. Caffeine and
nicotine are stimulants. Alcohol disrupts your sleep
patterns.
Lack of exercise.
METHODS OF DIAGNOSIS
Personal observation. Watching how long and how
deeply one sleeps. This can be done by a room mate or by one's own
observations.
Having a physical. A thorough physical rules out
other diseases or health problems.
Keeping a sleep diary. Writing down how long you
sleep, where you sleep, if the sleep was deep, broken by dreams,
etc.
Sleep Study. This may be suggested by your doctor,
but it's rare in cases of insomnia unless some other sleep
disorder, like sleep apnea, is suspected
TREATMENT
Treat any underlying causes. If you suffer from a
disease or disorder that is causing the insomnia, that must be
treated first.
Reduction of stress or anxiety. Medication. Doctor
prescribed sleeping pills. Herbal or hormone pills, such as
melatonin.
Relaxation techniques. Meditation. Hypnosis. Soft
music.
Improved lifestyle. Keeping regular hours. Cutting
back on caffeine, smoking and alcohol. Making sure the bedroom and
bed are comfortable places to be.