Sleep plays a very significant role in the physical health. For instance, sleep is beneficial in repairing and healing the heart and the blood vessels. However, the importance of it goes further than just boosting the mood and making you feel energized. Having an adequate sleep is an essential part of having a healthy lifestyle, and may benefit the mind, weight, heart and more. Hence, anything that may hinder having an adequate sleep is very intimidating, just like insomnia. Insomnia is a sleeping disorder that can cause you to have a difficulty in falling asleep. Thus, it is very important to have enough knowledge about this condition and of course, the treatments for insomnia. These are essential fort the betterment of the condition and the overall health. If you want to know all of these and more, feel free to give this article a read.
What is Insomnia?
Sleeplessness is the other term for insomnia. As stated earlier, it is a sleeping disorder that is often characterized by having a hard time sleeping. This condition regularly affects millions and millions of people all over the world. In short, those people who experience insomnia may find it difficult to falling asleep or staying asleep. This condition is so devastating and may affect a certain person so much.
Actually, there are various factors that may lead to the onset of the condition. These include medications, depression, irregular activity, excess stimulation, alcohol, drugs, and many more other factors. The actual definition of insomnia is actually when a certain person is unable to stay or fall asleep long enough to acquire a restorative, restful, and undisturbed sleep for more than twice a week for at least three weeks.
Furthermore, if you do experience intense signs and symptoms of insomnia, going to your doctor is very important. To be able to reduce the signs of insomnia, it is essential to know what really causes it and then proceed in the process of fixing them more effectively.
Types of Insomnia
Actually, there are two main kinds of insomnia, the primary and secondary insomnia. Below is a more concise detail of each of them:
- Primary insomnia: a particular type of insomnia actually means that a particular person has a hard time sleeping. Furthermore, it is not also directly related to some other health problems or conditions.
- Secondary insomnia: a type of insomnia actually means that a particular person has a sleeping problem because of some factors. This includes health conditions, medications, alcohol intake, or even pain.
Causes of Insomnia
Insomnia can actually be caused by either physical or psychological factor. Regardless of that, the most common causes of insomnia include:
- Hormones: for instance, the estrogen hormone of women shifts during the menstrual period. This may lead to insomnia.
- Medical conditions: some medical problems may cause insomnia. These problems may include Alzheimer’s diseases, tumors, heart failure, sleep apnea, asthma, arthritis, and more.
- Psychological issues: these include psychotic disorders, anxiety disorders, depression, as well as bipolar disorder.
- Disruptions in the circadian rhythm: the sudden changes in the circadian rhythm may cause insomnia. These disruptions may include extreme cold or hot, high altitudes, jet lag, and more.
- Some other factors: pregnancy, overactive mind, parasites, snoring partner, etc.
Signs and Symptoms of Insomnia
The condition of insomnia itself can be a symptom of some other underlying medical conditions. However, there are various signs and symptoms that may come with insomnia, these include:
- Distressing about having a sleep
- Difficulty in socializing with other people
- A tension headache
- Being clumsy
- Poor focus and concentration
- Anxiety, depression, or irritability
- Daytime sleeplessness or fatigue
- Feeling of tiredness even after a night’s sleep
- Waking up earlier than anticipated
- Waking up during the night
- Having a hard time sleeping at night.
Treatments for Insomnia
Some of the cases of insomnia may be resolved when the underlying cause of it gets treated or disappeared. Hence, in general, the treatments for insomnia focuses on determining its causes. Once it is identified, the underlying cause can now be treated or corrected properly.
Here are some of the medical treatments for insomnia:
- Ramelteon
- Melatonin
- Antihistamines
- Sleep aids
- Antidepressants
- Prescription sleeping pills
Home Remedies or Treatments for Insomnia
Here are more treatments and home remedies you can use in treating the condition:
- Sleep restriction: reducing the time spent in the bed and partly depriving the body of sleeping may help in increasing tiredness.
- Stimulus control therapy: only got to bed when you are sleepy. Do not watch television, avoid eating, reading, as well as worrying in ed.
- Use relaxation techniques: use some muscle relaxation and meditation techniques. These are beneficial in treating the condition form the roots.
- Improve sleeping hygiene: make sure to not sleep too little or too much, exercise daily, don’t force yourself to sleep, maintain a regular sleeping schedule, avoid drinking caffeine at night, avoid going to your bed hungry, make sure that your sleeping environment is comfortable.
