Insomnia is a surprisingly common health condition
which can affect as many as one third of the population.
Insomnia is the inability for someone to fall asleep
and to stay asleep so that the body can recover from
daily wear and tear. Most people need 6 to 8 hours
of sleep at night in order to function at their best.
There is either inadequate sleeping time or poor quality
sleep or both occurring on a regular or frequent basis,
often for no apparent reason.
If you have difficulty falling asleep, you wake up
too early, you wake up intermittently during the night
or you wake feeling unrefreshed, you could be suffering
from insomnia. Although you may feel there is no apparent
reason, there is usually an underlying cause. If you
can get to the root of what is causing the insomnia,
the battle can be won.
The features of insomnia are:
• Difficulty in falling asleep at night and/or
staying asleep.
• The inability to stay awake during the day
particularly if you are in a warm room, if you have
just eaten a meal or you are in the presence of background
noise.
• The feeling of lethargy and general tiredness
during the day.
• Having micro sleeps or small naps during the
day. Sometimes you may not even be aware of these.
Consequently, insomnia and sleep deprivation can be
associated with an increased likelihood of accidents
particularly by those who operate machinery or motor
vehicles.
There are many possible causes for insomnia:
• Alcohol and caffeine containing drinks –
more than 2 alcoholic drinks or 2 cups of coffee close
to bedtime can change your sleep structure and result
in poor quality sleep.
• General stress and worry.
• Environmental changes – such as going
on vacation, sleeping in new or different places or
beds.
• Jet lag – crossing time zones can result
in jetlag that is often associated with insomnia during
the night and sleepiness or unnatural drowsiness during
the day.
• Shift work especially where the shifts keep
changing can be another cause.
• Eating – having a heavy meal close to
bedtime.
• Exercising too much before bedtime.
• Smoking before bedtime.
• An uncomfortable sleeping environment where
the bed is uncomfortable, the room may be insufficiently
ventilated, you are too hot or too cold or you may
have to contend with noise or light.
• Sleep disorders – such as restless leg
syndrome, obstructive sleep apnoea. RLS is where you
experience unpleasant sensations in the legs or feet,
thereby preventing or delaying sleep. Periodic limb
movement disorder is another condition where uncontrollable
twitching of the limbs can prevent you getting a refreshing
sleep. Sleep apnoea is the condition where you can
stop breathing for short periods during your sleep
so that you wake frequently.
• Medical conditions – such as kidney
disease, heart failure, asthma, painful arthritis
or cancer and hormonal imbalances like menopause or
pregnancy.
• Further medical conditions such as heart-lung
conditions that cause orthopnoea (difficult in breathing)
while having to use the bathroom frequently during
the night and diuretic medication can also lead to
insomnia.
• Psychiatric conditions like depression, anxiety
disorders or mental illness can all be reasons for
insomnia.
• Medications can be a common cause of insomnia
and need to be investigated. Some anti-depressants,
high blood pressure, amphetamines and steroid medications
can interfere with your sleep pattern while many pain
killers, decongestants and weight loss products contain
caffeine and other stimulants which can keep you awake.
If you are dependent on sleeping pills and you reduce
or stop your regular dose, this could also cause insomnia.
• Even worrying about not being able to sleep
can be a cause so that the insomnia becomes part of
a vicious cycle. This condition has a medical term
and is called Psycho
Physiological Insomnia. It is a surprisingly common
cause of insomnia.
It is very important to find out what is the cause
of your insomnia before your health really starts
to suffer and to find an insomnia
treatment, plus the condition itself, so that
you can return to a pattern of sufficient and good
quality sleep every night once more.
More Insomnia Articles:
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How
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Physiology
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